


Supernatural: As Above, So Below

by DarkSakura



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adult Language, Ambiguous Unresolved Relationships, Angels, Asexual Character, Cambion, Canon fic, Classic Rock, Death, Demons, Enochian Magic (Supernatural), Expanded Ending, Family Don’t End In Blood, Ford Mustang Boss 302, Friends to Lovers, Good Person Ruby (Supernatural), Grief, Headcanon, Hunter Retirement (Supernatural), Lesbian Character, Minor Charlie Bradbury/Stevie (Supernatural: The Rupture), Monsters, Mostly Non-Romantic but Who Knows?, No Wincest Ever, Other, POV Female Character, Pansexual Character, Reapers, Redemption, Retired Hunter Winchesters (Supernatural), Secret Special Guest Characters, Ship Allusions if you care to see it or not, Some characters are mentions, Strong Female Characters, Supernatural Finale, Witches, carry on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:48:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 97,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27695819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkSakura/pseuds/DarkSakura
Summary: “I'll help you on one condition. That you get me the Hell out of here.”Little did Ruby expect that Castiel’s agreement would be upheld with the assistance of the new God, Jack Kline. With a newly restored human soul, a wicked ride, and a literal Mission from God, escaping the Empty is not what she expected it would be.
Comments: 42
Kudos: 21





	1. Back in Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Back in black  
>  I hit the sack  
> I've been too long  
> I'm glad to be back_
> 
> AC/DC - Back in Black

The first thing Ruby thought of when she found herself standing at the roadside was only one thing: _Who I have to kill to get some French fries?_

Of course, she derisively laughed to herself, that it was the first thought she’d also had the first time she took over this body. Funny kid, that Jack, to put her right back in the body of the Jane Doe she died in. She liked the body, though. It made her think of Sam.

_“Ah, Sam. How is the big lug?” Ruby let out a sigh. “I liked him. We had a good thing... until he killed me.”_

Sam Winchester was still alive, thought his brother Dean couldn’t say the same.. Jack had been clear on that much. She’d seen it herself how Dean died, witnessed the last moments the brothers shared. It made her feel guilty to spy on a private moment like that, and she’d cried the first tears since returning to human life, weeping for them both. It was in that moment that she really knew the demon was gone, and only Ruby remained.

——

_“Hello, Ruby,” Jack said, sitting in what looked like an underground bunker that needed desperately to move out of the retro mid-century aesthetic. He was a young man, dressed in white jeans, a blue shirt, white Chuck Taylors, and a white denim jacket, waving with a single raised hand._

_Definitely has the God-aesthetic down, even if it’s more Gen-Z-meets-God, she thought._

_“Hi... God?” she asked, really unsure what to call him._

_The kid grinned. “My name is Jack. Castiel was very insistent that I bring you back from The Empty. Said he made a promise to try. If anything, he’s honorable, and I don’t want my dad to leave anything unfinished.”_

_“That was kind of you both,” Ruby said dryly, still confused as to why God 2.0 wanted to talk to her at all. Was she staying in Heaven? Was he going to shove her right back on the rack in Hell to be re-demonized?_

Wait, _she thought to herself._ I’m not a demon.

_“Nope, we cleaned that out of you, did a little soul-healing to get those demony bits out. You need to keep the memories of what you did, though,” Jack explained. “Forgiveness is one thing, but absolution is another. It was your actions that put you on the path, but hey, I’m a fan of redemption arcs.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “I made a promise to Sam and Dean that I’d be hands off, and I’m going to keep it, but like I said, this is for Castiel. A promise is a promise, so I’m sending you back with a mission.”_

_Ruby frowned, confusion back in her eyes. “A mission from God? So you’re going to dump me in Chicago with a 1974 Dodge Monaco, a suit, and sunglasses?” Okay, it was a good movie to refer to, but Ruby felt this odd sense of panic that it might be what the kid had in mind._

_Jack laughed. “I remember Dean sitting me down to watch Blues Brothers. I didn’t really get it, but I liked it. And no, but you’re close. I’m not going to set you up for failure, so you’ll get a car, some cash, and a little Divine Favor, but what you do is up to you. If you die, you die, and where you end up is up to what you’ve done with this gift.”_

_Ruby couldn’t help blurting it out. “Can I stay a witch? I know I made a deal, but...” She trailed off._

_Jack seemed to consider it. “Sure, I’ll let you be a natural witch. No more deals, though. Actually there really are no more deals since Rowena’s ruling Hell. I mean, you can fight, you’re smart and observant, and you know the darker world better than the average human, but okay. You get your magic.”_

_The flow of power came almost immediately, feeling like life and glory and fire in her heart all at once. Ruby managed a thank you, feeling almost alive again._

_“And now we need to get you up to date,” Jack said, and a bowl of mercurial liquid appeared, shimmering into activity. Inside, Sam, Dean, and Jack were talking with what seemed to be Death, an amazingly beautiful Black woman in black leather with one mean-looking scythe._

——

She saw it all, the plan, the execution, and the changes. Castiel’s tragic, beautiful goodbye, the loss and grief in the survivors, the ends of Lucifer and Michael, and the end of Chuck. It was Dean’s death that broke the pain loose in her, her heart breaking for Sam in ways she didn’t know she could still feel.

 _Stop it_ , she ordered herself. _You have work to do._

The car Jack promised her was far better than a 1974 Dodge Monaco. He’d left her with a 1969 Ford Boss 302 Mustang painted a gorgeous jet black with its requisite stripes in a deeper matte black and sporting a custom hood scoop. The kid had taste, she decided. It wasn’t that Ruby didn’t like the Impala; she’d had some fun int that car. This was more her speed. It was a sleek 9mm bullet instead of a .50 caliber shot. Both are lethal in their own right.

Ruby opened the door to find the keys in the ignition and a large money lockbox on the driver seat. That had to be the cash, she considered, and she took it around to the trunk where she found a case not unlike the one the boys had in the Impala. The contents were sparse, but she found some simple spell tools and components, a Browning Hi-Power with three cases of bullets of various types, a machete, a silver knife, a hunting knife, rope, and salt. The basics. She opened her cash box, took out a grand, and then locked the box and stowed it away inside the trunk. After a thought, she loaded the Browning with bullets, took a second clip of silver bullets to keep in the glove box, and holstered it under her leather jacket. Finally, she closed the trunk and moved to slide behind the wheel of her new best friend.

“What am I going to call you, girl?” Ruby asked the car, running her hand affectionately across the dash. “Dean called his ‘Baby’, but you’re a big girl, a grown girl, and one badass bitch.” She laughed outright at that. No, she wasn’t going to call her car “The Bitch”.

_Maybe._

A glance around the rest of the interior revealed a mobile phone on a bracket, the little symbol revealing that it was connected via Bluetooth to her car. Ruby approved of the modern radio. She retrieved the iPhone from the bracket, looking through it to see the contacts listed. There were very few, and it looked like they were hand-picked. Her eyes lingered over one in particular, but she put it aside, instead pulling up the GPS to see where the Hell she was. Can’t know how to get where you’re going if you don’t know where you are.

“Kansas City, of the Kansas state variety,” Ruby said to herself, shaking her head with a laugh. Depending on her route, she was roughly 45 minutes from Lawrence, where her target was. “First thing, though...” she continued talking to herself, and pulled up directions for the closest tattoo studio. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes away, and when she checked the bookings online, there was one available that afternoon. With a click of “Book Now!”, the appointment was hers.

“My mission, should I choose to accept it, is French Fries,” Ruby said. “And so, my girl, let’s get mama some grub.” She turned the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life, loud and powerful and ready to go.

It was easy enough to find a diner that had burgers and fries, and she surprised herself by finishing a double cheeseburger, amazingly delicious, salty, crisp fries, and a chocolate-strawberry shake. If she hadn’t already seen what Heaven was like, Ruby was sure this would be it. Of course she remembered the things she didn’t like about being human. Certain biological functions were inconvenient, but that went with the territory.

 _Mental note. Find a drugstore and get toiletries, then buy clothes._ She grinned to herself. This was being human again. It was going to the bathroom, eating French fries, driving a car, ugly crying, and it was also dying at the end. Quietly, Ruby hoped that her end this time wouldn’t involve Hellhounds. She had her phone out to check the listings when a loud thump sounded on the table in front of her.

“Well hey, pretty lady. Why’re you here on your own? Got a man you’re waitin’ on?”

Ruby looked up at the guy with disdain. He wore dirty coveralls partially opened, a tank top, and a few layers of motor oil. That in addition to grease stains on his knuckles and clothes showed he was likely a mechanic from the place next door. He smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap beer, and definitely was not her type.

“Go away.” Ruby managed to look both disgusted and bored, eyeing his name tag. “Lyle.”

“That ain’t a way to treat a guy payin’ you a compliment. Where’s your man?” he insisted, teeth in his grin showing like a predator. “Or you ain’t got one. Shouldn’t be alone.”

Ruby made a show of rolling her eyes. “It doesn’t matter if I have someone or not. I said go away.” She saw the man start to lift his hand. “And if you touch me, I will break every last bone in the offending sausage mass you call a hand. Try me.”

Lyle snarled. “No upptiy bitch is going to talk to me like that.” One stained hand reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

A long-suffering sigh escaped Ruby’s lips, and she merely reached with her opposite hand, laying a gentle finger on Lyle’s offending hand. The touch was almost a caress, immediately disarming the burly middle-aged man. She looked up at him through long lashes, and uttered a phrase in a near-seductive tone.

“ _Fracta manu_.”

At the point her fingertip touched Lyle’s fingers, power radiated from it. Right at the area of contact, the bones in the fingers splintered and snapped. Phalanges to metacarpals to carpals — all of them fragmented painfully, sending the man to the floor, wailing in pain and drawing the attention of the other diners.

Ruby pocketed her phone, leaving some money (with a huge tip to the poor waiter who had to deal with the mess) on the table. She looked around at the others as she stood, and gave them a shrug. With a graceful step over and around the writhing figure, she casually walked to the door, exited, and made it to her car.

It wasn’t until she was on the road her tattoo appointment that she let herself think about what she did. There was nothing in her agreement about redemption to not hurt anyone, especially if the someone she hurt was about to assault her. It’s not like she didn’t give him warning. No, that one didn’t deserve feelings of guilt when he would have done much worse to her.

Once she made it to the tattoo studio, she’d put the event out of her mind, and instead turned her mind to the meeting that was about to happen. It didn’t take long for the tattoo artist to have the mockup ready and begin work on her left forearm. While the young heavily-tattooed woman worked, Ruby mapped the drive she’d been dreading since her return to life and then leaned back in the chair, considering what she would say and do when she finally arrived at the destination.

“Something on your mind?” the artist, Aura, asked, not looking up from her work.

“Going to meet someone. We didn’t part on good terms,” Ruby replied, unsure as to how much she wanted to talk about it.

“Sucks. Trying to mend some bridges?” Aura wondered, glancing up at a break in the fill. “It’s cool if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, it’s okay. Yeah, among other things. Getting back something of mine and looking for forgiveness.” She gave herself a self-derisive smile with a huff of air. “Not absolution, but just forgiveness.”

“Is it a dude?” Aura asked, going back to her work.

“Yeah,” Ruby said. “An ex, you could say. But you know, as good as we were together, I don’t want that with him anymore. I just want him to live happy, to live a long time and die as an old man. Just looking to close that chapter of my past.”

Aura had a faint smile as she finished up her lines. With practiced care, she cleaned off any blood and applied a layer of A&D diaper rash ointment, then used a piece of sterile gauze to cover it. “Make sure you take that off after twenty-four hours. Wash with soap, use sunblock, but don’t bandage it. No swimming for two weeks. And hey, take the ointment.” She passed the diaper rash ointment to Ruby. “I hope your friend gives you the closure you need.”

Ruby gave Aura a genuine smile, and with that, she handed over $800 for her $250 tattoo.

“Watch your back and take care of yourself,” Ruby said, carefully pulling on her leather jacket.

“Thanks, and hey, always do,” Aura replied. “Go get ‘im.”

Back on the road, Ruby considered the experience, relishing the sting and slight itch of her fresh tattoo. She could heal up with magic, but she wanted to feel this. The pain reminded her that she was alive, truly alive, and that she’d need to practice more care with her safety in future dealings. It’s not like she could just smoke herself out of this body and find another hapless creature to possess if she was mortally wounded in a fight.

She checked the address again and ran her GPS. It’d take about 45 minutes to get to Lawrence, and another ten to get to the property just outside the city. Time for tunes.

“Hey Siri, play me something classic,” Ruby commanded aloud.

The phone beeped. “Playing ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC,” the voice replied.

“Hell yes,” Ruby said, and she pressed the accelerator in further. She was back.


	2. Glad and Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Thank you kindly  
>  For thinking of me  
> If I'm not smiling  
> I'm just thinking_
> 
> _Glad and sorry  
>  Happy or sad  
> When all is done and spoken  
> You're up or I'm down_
> 
> Glad and Sorry - Faces

It was almost 7:30 PM by the time Ruby made it to the house. She wasn’t going to doubt that the contact in her phone was correct, given who’d supplied it, but a part of her wanted it to be wrong. Instead, she looked the place over to be sure.

It was a cute house, modestly sized, with a big front yard and what she could tell was also a rather large back yard. _Very apple pie,_ she considered, looking around. The house was painted a deep woodsy brown with a faded yellow trim. If she focused her Sight, she could see Enochian warding drawn into the house itself, hidden from those without the ability to sense or see it. A devil’s trap was under the wide front door welcome mat on the porch. If that didn’t cinch for Ruby that she was at the right place, then the 1967 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan in the driveway did.

Ruby sighed. It was now or never, and never wasn’t really an option. She made a promise to God 2.0, all because of Castiel being honorable. It’s not like she knew what would happen with the Occultum, but Jack insisted that it was instrumental in saving reality.

“And now Jack isn’t answering calls,” she muttered to herself, getting out of the car. The kid made that much clear, that other than setting a few things right, he was going to be hands-off, unlike Chuck.

With measured steps, she approached the porch, walking up a few steps to the front door. She could hear voices inside, one a familiar male, and another an accented female voice. Steeling herself, Ruby gave the door four firm knocks, and waited for a response.

The sound of a dog barking and the locks turning after a few minutes almost jolted her there, but the face that greeted her when the light turned on and door opened made her stomach drop and her knees want to give out.

“Hiya, Sammy,” she said, giving him a weak smile. _Oh, he’s still pretty_ , she thought. Sam wore jeans that fit him perfectly and a tighter v-necked grey undershirt, showing that he was still in excellent shape. The edge of his anti-possession tattoo peeked just from the edge of the neckline. He seemed to be holding a dog back.

“Miracle, go on.” He turned to look at the person who greeted him. “You... Ruby?” Sam looked at her in confusion for a moment, but then in the next second, a long spiked blade was in his hand, clearly something he kept near the door. It was three-sided on a long hilt, the whole thing appearing to be made of an ethereal chrome, but with the power Ruby could feel from it, she knew it was anything but. It’s not the first time she’d seen an angel blade.

“I’m not a demon,” she said at once, putting up her hands. “Look, I know there’s a devil’s trap under me.” She took a careful step back off of the mat that concealed it. “I swear I’m not here to start shit.”

“Then why and _how_ are you here,” Sam snapped, his voice dangerously low.

“Sam?”

She could hear the same female voice from before, though the accent was one she couldn’t place. Understanding came, however, when Sam started to sign to his right.

“Please stay back,” he signed. “Could be dangerous.”

“I’m not dangerous, not to you or your lady here or even that dog,” Ruby said at once in annoyance. She signed it as she said it, eliciting a reaction of true surprise from Sam. “Jack sent me.”

Merely hearing the name seemed to deflate Sam, though none of the surprise left his face. There was something sad behind his eyes, like remembering someone he lost.

“Jack did,” he said blandly.

“Mostly,” Ruby said. “Look, I’d like to have this conversation, but it’s a little chilly, I just got inked, and my arm is itchy. I swear I’m human.”

“Wait here,” Sam ordered, and and stepped behind the door. From the shadows on the wall behind him, Ruby could tell Sam was signing furiously, conversing with whoever the woman in the other room was. After what felt like an hour but was more five minutes, the door opened further.

“Come on in, Ruby. I hope you like lasagna,” Sam told her flatly, begrudgingly resigned. “I’m not going to tell my wife no.”

“Your wife is an awesome lady,” Ruby said immediately, to which Sam just gave her a slight shrug and nod, and she followed him in.

“It’s like a theme for you, coming into my life after Dean’s left it,” he said, a heavy dose of bitterness in his voice. He didn’t stop the shaggy white dog from approaching his unlikely guest, breathing a sigh of relief when Miracle actually seemed to like her.

“I know, Sam. I’m sorry,” Ruby said, signing the moment she could see the other woman so she didn’t exclude her. “Heaven is different now, so I understand. I don’t know if I’ll get to go back. Gonna introduce us?”

“Yeah, this is my wife, Eileen,” Sam said, walking to her to put an arm around the shoulders of a very pregnant brunette. “The dog is Miracle. Dean - Dean rescued him. The invite to dinner is from Eileen.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ruby said and signed. “I’m Ruby. Sam and I have history.” She chose to ignore the snort the tall man made at that, and instead opted to pet the dog.

“I know your history,” Eileen said at once. “And I have questions. You’re alive, not a demon, and you said Jack sent you. I’m not discussing this hungry, so come on inside.” With that, she beckoned towards the kitchen where she went to lay out another place setting.

The kitchen, like the rest of the house, had this odd mix of mid-century and kitsch. Some items were new, some antique, and some thrifted and repaired. The fixtures, however, even though they appeared to be from the Sixties, were not as old as their styling; panels could be flipped to reveal modern appliance controls. It seemed like a fitting place for Sam, a mix of classic and modern.

Ruby took a seat at the table, shooed away when she offered to help. She expected anything from outright hostility to being shoved outside to perhaps an awkward, terse, begrudged talk, but this was completely different. This Eileen was a tough woman, but one with a good heart and patience, someone who could hold her own but know when it was time to call for aid. Ruby liked her immediately.

The three were awkwardly silent as Sam kept an eye on Ruby while he helped his wife serve dinner and Miracle went to the other room to lay on his bed. Ruby resisted the urge to roll her eyes when Sam put a small cup of water in front of her and made it obvious that he added holy water to it from a flask.

“Drink up.”

“Cheers,” Ruby replied, mock-toasting him with the cup before training it. “Tastes stale. Not to my liking.”

Eileen laughed at that. “That flask hasn’t been used in a year, I think.” She brought over fresh water for them all and eased herself into a chair. “So you are here for a reason.”

Ruby nodded, taking a few bites of the lasagna first. “This is really good. And yeah,” she replied. “When Castiel nearly died to come to the Empty, he asked me where the Occultum was.”

“Right. Dean and I were plenty pissed he and Cas did that,” Sam supplied. “I told you about this before,” he added to Eileen.

“Right, I remember. You said he came back with the location of the Occultum,” came the reply, signed and spoken aloud.

“Well, he woke me up in the Empty, and I had him tell me he’d try to get me out of the Empty. It was nothing but angels and demons dreaming about their regrets over and over. I wanted out. I was desperate to get out. I didn’t make him promise, but I asked. He said he’d try, so I told him where the Occultum was,” Ruby continued.

Sam reached for his water, swallowing down a bite. “You didn’t tell him about the hellhounds, though,” he reminded her, remembering struggling against the church door to keep them out as Jack was lost in the Occultum.

“It’s not like we had a lot of time,” Ruby countered. “The Shadow was pulling at me the entire time, like being on some sort of soul-bonded leash. I went right back to sleep after that, but then there was this horrible explosion. All of us in the Empty woke up. It was a cacophony.”

“It got loud,” Sam quoted. “Billie, who was Death then, she sent Jack to the Empty when he was about to explode. It was part of her plan to kill Chuck and take over as God. Keep going.” He clearly didn’t want to explain more to Ruby; it was clearly for Eileen’s benefit.

“So yeah, and even with the Shadow trying to put us all to sleep, not all of us appreciated being tucked back in. It came back with Castiel, bound with this inky chain and looking really haggard. Apparently he tried to fight the Shadow to find out what was going on, to see if it would help Dean, but no. It put him on nursery duty to try to put us all to sleep against his will. Stubborn ass angel wouldn’t sleep, kept fighting it. So he eventually found me.” Ruby fell silent, her expression haunted, and she masked it by eating a little more and gulping down her water. “I made him promise again, because I knew someone would yank him out, even though he tried to assure me it was final.”

“Was it?” Sam asked, not bothering to hide the tremble that snuck into his voice. Castiel was family, family who sacrificed himself for his big brother and to give them a shot at saving their world and themselves. Dean himself told Sam it was because of Castiel that their world was safe.

“Clearly not,” Ruby said dryly. “Jack sprung Cas, made him an archangel or something, and put him to work. I don’t know all of it. Apparently I didn’t need to. The kid was insistent that he wasn’t going to get himself involved in the ‘story’ again, whatever that means, but that he knew a thing about promises and redemption.” She lowered her eyes, staring at her plate. “He gave me a shot.”

Sam looked uncomfortable, glancing over at Eileen. Ruby wasn’t looking, so she didn’t see what Eileen was signing to Sam, only the tail of it when she looked up and set down her fork on her plate.

“Were you sent here to recruit Sam?” Eileen asked forwardly. “When I got pregnant, we both retired from hunting other than local jobs and emergencies.”

“I was supposed to ask for two things,” Ruby said. “And I’ll understand if you don’t give me either. I— I personally want these for myself, too.”

“Okay, shoot,” Sam said, still signing as he spoke. “What _do_ you want?”

Ruby looked up to meet his eyes dead on. “My knife... and your forgiveness.”

Sam almost snorted. “My forgiveness? I mean, yeah, you can have your knife back, but my _forgiveness_?”

“Forgiveness, not absolution,” Ruby interjected before Sam could start an angry tirade at her. “If anyone knows there’s a difference, it’s you. I know what I did. I was a demon, Sam. I used your grief, your anger, your loneliness. I used it all to get you on my side. What we had, I liked it, and I truly liked you, but I am _not_ that person. Not anymore. I’m not here to steal you from your wife. I don’t want to hurt your doggy. I’m not here to get you back into hunting. I’m here... to start atonement.”

Sam stared at Ruby, thoughts and feeling seeming as if they were a nebula in space, slowly trying to turn the dust into something cohesive and solid. He glanced over at Eileen, finding it unhelpful when all his wife did was shrug at him.

“Haven’t you had anything to atone for?” Eileen silently signed at her husband, raising an eyebrow.

Sam just sighed and got up from the table, not saying a word as he picked up everyone’s dirty dishes to put in the sink. After that, he stalked off, calling for Miracle to come with him.

“So, um,” Ruby signed. “Need help with washing the dishes?”

The two women went to work on the washing, and even when they were working on drying, Sam didn’t come back. Ruby felt like she didn’t want to talk about him yet, like it would sabotage her chances.

“How far along are you?” she asked Eileen instead.

“Almost eight months,” the other woman replied. “The ultrasound said he’s a boy, but of course that’s only until he knows who he is.”

“I get it,” Ruby said with approval. “So you were you a hunter?”

“I was,” Eileen replied, and she told Ruby about her experiences hunting the banshee that killed her parents and left her deaf, about how she met the Winchesters, about dying and being brought back by a spell Sam discovered at his mentor’s apartment. “So yes, my life has been very interesting. How about you? How did you become a demon?”

Ruby raised one well groomed eyebrow. “I wanted to be powerful. I was born poor, very poor, betrothed to some swollen filthy pig herder during the Black Plague. I had no choice in the matter,but I didn’t want to marry him. I was desperate, so I summoned a crossroads demon and made my pact to become a witch. Sometimes trading your soul is worth the freedom from disease and poverty and pig shit, but what comes after isn’t.” She flexed her fingers, however, seeing little purple tendrils dance across them before letting it fade. “I can live without magic, but I gave up so much to have it that I felt I should ask for it. I didn’t expect Jack to grant my request, but he did. Now I have it in part to remind me.”

“And to protect you,” Eileen supplied. “I think you’ll need it. There must be a bigger reason you were allowed to come back.”

Ruby didn’t say anything to that, but Eileen could see in her expression that the thought bothered her. The former demon considered that when she made the request, it was more desperation and less considering that that might mean. There were a million retorts she wanted to make, some snarky and some serious, but none of them would permit her to voice them.

“Maybe,” she finally said, putting up the last dry dish.

The heavy sound of footsteps sounded on the kitchen floor behind them. Both women turned to look; while Ruby heard it, Eileen could feel it through the floor and in the displacement of air.

“Sam?” Eileen asked.

“Do you mind if Ruby and I talk for a while?” Sam asked his wife, signing. “Keep Miracle with you.

“I don’t mind,” Eileen said at once, going over to give Sam a gentle kiss. “I’m going to turn in early. Baby has sapped me dry. I might see if I can sleep.” She looked over at Ruby. “It was good to meet you. Not just being polite, but it was good.”

“You, too,” Ruby replied. “Thank you.”

Eileen wandered off and headed upstairs, leaving Sam and Ruby to stare each other down from across the kitchen.

“Follow me,” Sam said tersely, and he led the way out to the living room.

The only thing Ruby could do was comply, turning to follow the tall man out.


	3. Emotion Detector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _When we lift the covers from our feelings  
>  We expose our insecure spots  
> Trust is just as rare as devotion  
> Forgive us our cynical thoughts  
> If we need too much attention_
> 
> _Not content with being cool  
>  We must throw ourselves wide open  
> And start acting like a fool  
> If we need too much approval  
> Then the cuts can seem too cruel_
> 
> Emotion Detector - Rush

Sam led the way through the house and to a door behind the stairs. When he opened it, all Ruby could see was a mop, a broom, a bucket, and a few other cleaning supplies. It wasn’t at all surprising to her that there’d be a hidden compartment, but what did surprise Ruby was that Sam used magic to activate it.

“ _Revelare et aperiam_.” Sam touched his finger to a piece of meta on the side of the inner wall, and the narrow closet retracted and swung back, revealing stairs descending into darkness.

“Got a ‘ _Lumos_ ’ for that?” Ruby asked wryly, but she didn’t hide how impressed she was. “Where did you learn that?”

“A witch named Rowena. She died saving us,” he replied tersely, reaching out to flick a switch on the wall as he led the way downstairs. He didn’t wait for her or look behind to see if she was following, which of course she was.

The basement looked like any hunter’s panic/work room. There was another room that Ruby cold see through the open door had a devil’s trap laid in metal on the floor. Weapons lined the walls; everything from rifles to handguns to bladed weapons was available. There was even a grenade launcher resting on a handmade custom stand with a Post-It Note stuck to the side that said “Dean’s Toy”. On the wall, hanging on a coat hook, was a green military-style jacket with what Ruby thought looked like a bloody handprint on its left shoulder. The workbench across the room was littered with cleaning supplies, clearly having been used on a very familiar revolver sitting in its open box. Next to it was a smaller box, and this is what Sam went to pick up. He indicated a couple of worn but comfortable-looking chairs, and so Ruby went to take a seat in one. 

“So this is your Hunter-Slash-ManCave?” Ruby asked. 

This time Sam let out a dry laugh. “Something like that. I retired.” The stiffness in his manner seemed to break loose as he sat down with a couple of glasses and a bottle of whiskey. He poured the two glasses, and he didn’t wait for Ruby to drink hers before his was emptied and refilled.

“Well, you do have a kid on the way,” Ruby said. “Don’t blame you there.” She took a drink, surprised it was actually good whiskey. She remembered Dean having terrible taste in booze.

“Yeah, which is part of it,” Sam said. “I mean, I’ll work if I need to, if I’m needed, and I’m going to teach him, but it’s not for me anymore. It’s not what...” He trailed off, looking into his glass. “It’s not what Dean wanted for me. And shit, why am I telling you?”

“Maybe because you know that even when I was a demon, I understood you,” Ruby ventured. “I mean, this is still me, but I’m better. I _have_ to be better. What I did to you, Sam — how I used you. And I _know_ I used you.” She waited for him, but all he did was look up like he was listening to her confession.

“Go on,” he said, his voice oddly calm and low.

Ruby swallowed hard and continued. “I didn’t know love, but I remembered it, and I loved certain things. I loved being with you. I loved everything about being with you, your touch, the way it felt when you drank my...” She stopped herself there. “The way you’d open up, the vulnerability, the trust. I used that. I _abused_ it, and I thought you’d love me for it.” Her eyes rolled up at her own naivety. “And you killed me.”

“I only held you. _Dean_ killed you,” Sam corrected with a smirk. “And I should have listened to him and done it much earlier.”

Ruby nodded, looking Sam in the eye. “You should have. I deserved it, and it would have saved you a lot of hurt and death if you had. Sam, I am _so_ sorry. I have no way I can fix or change that. I can only tell you that I’m not that demon anymore. I’m a human witch, which means yeah, I have power, but I have a conscience and a heart.” She gave herself a derisive laugh under her breath. “I don’t have to remember what my pain and loss was like as a human. I see it when it’s quiet, when I’m alone. I see the rack I was tortured on. Every piece of my soul was broken and torn to shreds and remade into pure evil, and I — I can never erase that. Ever.”

Ruby didn’t realize that she’d started crying until she felt strong arms around her, holding her enough to be supportive, but a bit awkwardly, like he’d acted on instinct and then wondered why. She leaned her forehead on Sam’s shoulder in front of her, crying out what she’d held inside since Heaven, but soon she tore her composure back to her and leaned back, dabbing at her eyes.

“Yeah, the Ruby I knew wouldn’t be telling me this or getting my shirt damp,” Sam told her, still clearly conflicted, though he did give her another weak smile. “So you met Jack.”

“I did. He’s a good kid. Said Castiel was his dad, but said you and Dean were, too.” Ruby’s expression fell again, and she dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I saw it. I saw Dean die, saw you burn his body. He said I needed to know. I felt like an intruder, but all I can say is I’m so sorry, and, well, I’m proud of you.”

Sam scrubbed his hand over his eyes, feeling his own tears welling up, but he held back. “ _Proud_ of me?”

“For not going right out and trying to bring him back. For not losing yourself in grief like when I found you again. For finding happiness and peace. For living.” She gave him a smile through her newly formed tears. “You _always_ keep fighting.”

With a huff, Sam looked upwards, fighting against his own tears again. “That’s what Dean said. He told me I always keep fighting, and he said not to bring him back, that nothing good ever comes of it. He was right.” Giving up on using his hands, he reached for a couple of linen cloths on the table next to him, passing one to the brunette. “He was right, Ruby. How many times have we struck deals and fought death. It was Chuck screwing with us, pulling our strings. I love my brother probably more than anyone I’ve ever known. He raised me. We’ve died for each other. Living with out him is...”

With gentle hands, Ruby reached out to take Sam’s trembling hand in hers. “You’re not alone,” she told him, echoing the words she once used to manipulate him. “You have your wife. You have your son on the way. I know you have all of these people still alive who love you, Sammy. You have so much of Dean in this room, in that car, and in the fabric of who you are. You’re not alone. You and I may never be friends, but you have my faith in you, for what it’s worth.”

It took him a long moment before he turned his own hand to squeeze Ruby’s, and Sam finally moved his gaze up from where he’d been staring at her hand on his and looked up at her. Something seemed to have broken loose, and Ruby knew the smile he gave her was genuine.

“I was angry. I was prepared not to forgive you, to kick you out in the dirt and then ask Eileen why the hell she invited you to dinner of all things,” Sam told her honestly. “And now I know that she knows me well enough that maybe this was what I needed.” He shook his head. “And Jack probably knew it, too.”

Sam reached over to the table again, picking up the box he’d brought over from his workbench. The box itself looked like the sort one would keep wine in, a plain cedar box with a sliding lid. Inside was a knife in a hand-tooled black leather sheath. He held the box out, and Ruby retrieved the knife, unsheathing it and holding it up to admire the ancient script she’d once etched into the knife over two centuries before.

“The knife was smithed for me by a Kurdish blacksmith, but the runes are in something far older. I did the etching and poured my own blood into it. I never thought I’d die by it.” She trailed her finger lightly from the tip of the blade all the way down its edge delicately, not letting it harm her skin. “I didn’t think I’d miss it. I don’t know why the kid wanted me to get it from you.”

Another vaguely bitter laugh escaped Sam, and he refilled both of their glasses. “You know, Jack accidentally killed our mom. She’d been brought back by The Darkness - long story - but then Jack lost control and killed her. He was so afraid we’d never forgive him, but we did. We loved him. Even if Dean tried to convince himself otherwise, I know he forgave Jack. He’s family.” He ran his fingers through his hair ( _It’s still long and pretty_ , Ruby thought to herself) and continued. “I left my brother for a demon and started the Apocalypse. That’s pretty fucked up.”

“Seriously fucked up,” Ruby agreed, taking her refilled glass.

“But I was forgiven,” Sam continued. “And I’d like to think that I made it right. That Dean and I made it right.” Once again, he fixed Ruby with a steady gaze. “So then. Ruby, I forgive you. It’s not absolution, like you said. I’ll never be absolved of the things I did either, but like I was forgiven, I forgive you, too.”

Ruby set the knife down, and her glass, and she moved closer to give Sam a tight hug, one he returned with true feeling this time. If Sam Winchester of all people could forgive her, then maybe, she considered, she might be able to forgive herself.

A creak from the stairwell drew Ruby’s attention, and she looked to see a rather pleased Eileen watching.

“Don’t stop because of me,” Eileen signed, looking rather pleased with what she saw. “You both have more to talk about. I made up the Hide-a-Bed for you, Ruby, and you’re welcome to stay the night.”

Ruby smiled sheepishly. “Thank you,” she signed, not trusting her voice.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Eileen told Sam, coming in to give him a lengthy kiss, one he returned heartily.

“Not too late, no,” he agreed, and he watched her head back to the stairs, making her way up slowly until he could hear her pad off out of earshot.

“You owe that woman foot rubs, sir,” Ruby teased.

“Oh, don’t I know it, and she _loves_ to collect,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I love her. I was so afraid I’d lost her when Chuck zapped everyone, and I found her after Jack took over. I wasn’t able to for... a few days after Dean died.” He reached for his glass again. “We were taking it slow before our showdown with Chuck. We dated every so often when one of us happened to be in town, and then after Dean was gone, I’d been on a hunt, and I wound up on her doorstep. She took me in, and I never left. Funny, our anniversary was last week, and we drove around in the Impala and had burgers and pie. Her idea, because it would have been Dean’s suggestion. It really surprised me she was good with us moving to Lawrence after she conceived.”

“This was your hometown. You’ve come full circle, Sammy,” Ruby told him affectionately. “From leaving while you were a baby to coming back to welcome your son into the world. I think it’s fitting. I think this is the life Dean hoped you’d have.”

Sam grinned broadly, though there was still sadness behind his eyes. “You think?”

“Yeah, I really do think,” Ruby said with a grin of her own.

“Okay, no quoting Alanis,” Sam told her with a more genuine laugh. “So then I should probably catch you up on all the stuff that happened since you died. How much did Jack show you?”

“Pretty much from the plan with Death, er, Billie?” Ruby hoped she remembered the name of the late Reaper. “Oh, when last I checked, she was The Shadow’s little plaything for ‘making it loud’.”

“Good.” That seemed to satisfy Sam. “So okay, after so here’s what went down during the Apocalypse.” He paused. “The first Apocalypse, that is. We had a few.”

With that, Sam launched into what happened over roughly ten years of life Ruby missed. He talked about Hell, and he cried again with Ruby joining him as he talked about the Cage. He spoke of Meg and Crowley (“What? The salesman?”) and Bobby and Charlie and Mary. He spoke of Ellen and Jo and their tragically heroic deaths. When he spoke of Rowena, Ruby took his hand again, and she learned how Sam knew his magic. He talked at length about the wish Dean made on the _Baozhu_ that brought back John Winchester and how they had to send their father back again.

It was when he spoke of Dean that Ruby listened quietly without contributing, intently, as Sam recounted memories, about how they found his dog and kept him, about watching his brother lose himself to the First Blade and come back from death as a Demon, about saving him from that, about being possessed by Michael, and so much more until finally, _finally_ he could talk about that last day spent with his brother. Sam talked until he was almost hoarse, and all Ruby did was listen and let him mourn as he needed. It surprised her how easily she could cry with Sam as he spoke the words he needed to.

Sometime around 2:00 AM, they realized they’d been talking for hours. Sam finally stood up, apologizing for talking Ruby’s ear off. At some point during the conversation, Ruby felt like he’d accepted her as the person she is, the person she wanted to be, and so she finally went upstairs, changed into one of Sam’s old t-shirts that had been left out for her, and snuggled under the cozy down comforter on the Hide-a-Bed.

She could let herself fall asleep for the first time since her death.


	4. Heart of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I want to live  
>  I want to give  
> I've been a miner  
> For a heart of gold  
> It's these expressions  
> I never give  
> That keep me searching  
> For a heart of gold  
> And I'm getting old  
> Keep me searching  
> For a heart of gold  
> And I'm getting old_
> 
> Heart of Gold - Neil Young

Ruby didn’t know where she was at first. There was sunlight streaming in, birds chirping merrily outside the window, and she was warm and comforted in a soft bed.

 _Bed. Shit. No, not shit. But good. I stayed over at Sam’s place._ Ruby took a breath and thought over the events of her first twenty-four hours of being alive. There was the car, the money, the tattoo, the asshole mechanic, driving to Lawrence, and reconciling with Sam.

Laying there in bed, Ruby wondered if Eileen might have been jealous that Sam’s former demon ex-lover showed up on their doorstep and spent hours talking to him over whiskey. There was none of that, however. Eileen was confident and trusted Sam, and to be honest, Ruby wasn’t that person anymore. She knew she loved Sam, but loving someone isn’t the same as being in love. When she thought of him, yes, the sex had been _amazing_ , but she didn’t want that. Her feelings were fondness, like for a brother.

Reluctantly, she pulled herself out of bed, immediately heading to the small ensuite bathroom for a quick shower. Eileen was considerate and left out a toothbrush and sample-sized toothpaste, some samples of various toiletries and makeup items, a hairbrush, and a note to keep the items. With delighted surprise Ruby did so, putting them in a small plastic travel case that had also been left out for her use.

A little bit of magic had her hair dried in seconds, but Ruby was a little annoyed with its length. It was like Jack brought her back with the same amount of hair growth she might have experienced if her vessel had lived the whole time. With a huff of frustration, she braided her hair back loosely and affixed the end with a non-elastic hairband that sat on the back of the toilet. She hoped Eileen wouldn’t mind and was grateful they both had dark hair. The band wouldn’t be noticeable.

When she emerged from the the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy oversized white towel, she scanned the room. A clock on the bedside table blinked that it was 10:44 AM. There was a bassinet in the corner with a few unpacked boxes of things for the child Sam and Eileen were expecting. The room itself had been painted a combination of a muted grass green with forest green elements. Clearly the Hide-a-Bed was new, and Ruby considered that it was a smart idea to have something like that in the room in case the little one needed someone close by. The padded rocking chair in the corner near the window looked like a comfortable place to sit and nurse.

On the rocking chair was a worn tactical duffle bag that looked like it’d been scrubbed clean. On closer inspection, Ruby realized it was the one Sam used as luggage when he traveled. She could even see the “SW” written in silver Sharpie on one of the straps. It was something so small, but Ruby felt herself choking up. Getting her knife back was one thing; Sam giving her this bag was another. To her, it felt like he was welcoming in the new guard and also officially hanging up his boots. It was empty inside except for a few things: a book, a key on a keychain, some small packages, and a letter in an envelope labeled “don’t read until 1 month passes”.

She dressed quickly, wearing the same things she’d worn the day before as she had nothing else, and turned to leave the room, the bag over her shoulder. A knock at the door stopped her in her tracks, and when she opened it, Sam was on the other side, looking like he’d slept pretty heavily, possibly for the first time in a while, but hadn’t gotten a lot of it.

“So Eileen made a breakfast sandwich for you, but I wanted to take you back downstairs for something else,” he told her. “Oh, and good morning. Sleep well?”

“Yeah, you?” Ruby raised an eyebrow.

“Pretty well, actually. Better quality than quantity.” Sam looked conflicted. “I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s like last night with part of me is still screaming at myself for not booting you out, and again realizing that maybe this was something we both needed.”

“Maybe so, Sam,” Ruby said gently, but then her expression turned impish. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you didn’t boot me out or stab me.”

Sam offered her an amused smirk and just jerked his head slightly in the direction of the stairs. As they made it down, Eileen waved a hello from the living room where she was brushing out Miracle’s fur, signing that she hoped Ruby slept well. Ruby replied with moving her fist in a knocking motion, and then touching the fingertips of her open hand, fingers touching, to her lips and lowering it. Eileen still seemed be delighted that their guest could sign, grinning broadly as she went back to brushing Miracle’s substantial coat.

As Sam led the way, he glanced over his shoulder at the former demon. “Where did you learn to sign?”

Ruby started to roll her eyes and scoff, but stopped herself. That was a demon-Ruby reaction. “I’m old, Sam, remember? ASL’s been around since the 19th century, just recognized in the Sixties,” she explained. “I mean, variations have been around for a while. It was useful to be able to communicate without talking, and I served a stint in a meatsuit married to a deaf man in 1954. Got exorcised. Did you know exorcisms work in Sign Language? You just have to mouth the Latin.”

“I’m going to have to remember that,” Sam said, a bit surprised as if it hadn’t occurred to him before.

“There’s a talisman I could show show you, too,” Meg offered, falling silent as Sam activated the spell to open the hidden cupboard door. “It just smokes demons around you out of their vessels.”

“Yeah, that’d be good,” he replied, turning on the light and showing her in. “So I asked you down here to make sure you were armed. There’s some things down here I won’t let go of just for self-defense and, well, sentimental value, but since it sounds to me like you’re going to hunt, I won’t have you go with just a gun and a knife.” Sam looked around the room, pausing on the jacket Ruby saw the night before.

“That was Dean’s,” she said, guessing.

“The night Castiel was taken back to The Empty, Dean had been wearing it. The handprint is just like the one he left on Dean’s shoulder when Cas rescued him from Hell,” Sam explained. “It reminds me of both of them.”

“They had quite a close bond,” Ruby observed, remembering.

Sam nodded. “Dean started to tell me that Cas said something just before he sacrificed himself, but he didn’t seem to be able to get the words out. He just told me what he could manage. I mean, you remember how Dean was about sharing his feelings. He said, and I quote because I will never forget it, ‘Hey Sammy, Cas was our other-other brother. He was in the ways that counted the most. I will never get to tell him that.’ but it seemed like he wanted to say something else. He’d just clam up and make a stupid joke. Cas always said he and Dean had a ‘more profound bond’ than Cas and I did.”

“Sounds tragic and a bit romantic,” Ruby said before she could stop herself. “I mean, well...”

Sam shook his head. “I think it was for Cas. I could tell, but I don’t think Dean ever thought about it that way. I asked again before he died, you know. He wouldn’t talk about it. He’d just tell me he only wanted to think that Cas was dreaming of peace in the Empty. It’s like talking about him would rip a bandage off a giant wound.”

“I get it, she said. “Dean was never good with the ‘Chick-Flick’ moments.” The ex-demon turned thoughtful, considering the meaning of what Sam told her. Whatever it was, it was between Dean and Castiel, and those still alive would never know. “Well, now Cas has bigger wings and an even bigger job to do upstairs. Jack is keeping him busy.”

“That’s really good,” Sam said. “I’m glad he got another chance, that he’s up there doing good.” Another sigh escaped him. “Damn, Ruby. I’d sure like to see him, to thank him, to tell him I miss him and Dean and Jack and...”

Ruby interrupted him with a gentle hand on his forearm. “Maybe you will, Sam. Just say a prayer, tell him hi. He’ll be listening. Your answer may not be in words, but Castiel’s that kind of guy. He’ll let you know in the right way.”

“So,” Sam cleared his throat, blinking hard. “Show me this talisman, and then we’ll get you hooked up with some gear. I don’t know if Eileen or I have anything wearable that will fit you, though.”

“It’s no problem. I have money, but thanks for the gifts. A gift has more meaning.” With that, Ruby approached the workbench and grabbed a paper and pen, demonstrating how to draw the glyph. “You want to use air-drying clay, and you can make a few ahead of time. You get surrounded, then throw a few drops of blood on the rune and smash it. Any demon within five hundred feet will be forced to smoke out. That way you might not kill the vessel. Here’s the formula for the potion and the spell to set it.” She started writing it down in careful, clear handwriting. “It’s a tricky one, but I know you’re up to it.”

She went over it with Sam until he had the incantation down, and Ruby nodded in approval. “You really do have an aptitude for this,” she told him.

“Yeah, Dean said I was Rowena’s protégé. She really did teach me a lot. Maybe I’d be a real witch by now if she’d lived,” he told her sadly. “Which by the way, the book and key in your bag, well, some of Rowena’s spells and the key to her apartment. I called her last night. Well, more like opened a line of communication to Hell. She’s the Queen.”

“So your friend who saved everyone’s bacon is now the Queen of Hell? Not bad. I think I remember Jack mentioning her not allowing deals anymore,” Ruby said. “So did you use a Goblet?”

“No, I found a way that doesn’t involve murder and lots of blood,” Sam told her wryly. “She left me something that, well, I don’t need anymore. You, however, have a big need of a place to live. A drop of your blood on that key makes you safe to enter, or else that apartment will kill you in ten minutes.”

“Talk about your insurance policy,” Ruby muttered. “Yeah, I’ll do that now.” She went to the bag which she’d carried down, pulled a pin off of the work table, and pricked her fingers with it to spread on the key. It glowed purple where the blood touched for a brief moment, and then the blood seeped into the metal. “Wow, I think I even know where the place is now.”

Sam nodded. “Then it worked. I had another place to send you but...” He trailed off, taking a gulp of air. “Dean and I lived there when — before...” Another sharp breath. “We were living there when he died. Miracle and I lived there alone for a bit, and then I got a call for a job. We left and haven’t been back. It’s sealed off. There’s a part of me that wants to go back, imagining that Dean would be there with his feet on the table watching _Scooby-Doo_ or one of those _All Saints’ Day_ movies he loves — _loved_.”

Ruby turned to him, reaching up to touch Sam’s cheek gently, just to encourage him to look at her. “You should someday, when you’re ready to. Or not. Just don’t lock it away, Sammy.”

Sam gave her half-smile with a weak laugh. “You know, I never let anyone but Dean call me that, but it’s nice to hear it again.”

The ex-demon gifted him with a brilliant smile and withdrew her hand, changing the subject. “Well, we’ll see. So then, weapons, right?”

Sam nodded, shaking his head of the nostalgia and grief, and went hand her a few cases of bullets (“Witch killing bullets, and I gave you the instructions on how to make them.”), a couple of blessed knives, a second gun, and an angel blade. These he put into another bag for safe transport.

“So if that grenade launcher is really Dean’s favorite, did he get to use it?” Ruby wondered, hovering a finger over it but not touching.

“Yeah, we were trapped, running out of air, and desperate. If it hadn’t been so terrible, I think he would have done one of those touchdown dances then and there. He did pull the _Die Hard_ line.” Sam said, turning around with a polished wooden box in his hands. “I want you to have this.”

Ruby reached for the box, feeling its heft, and she opened it. “Holy shit, Sam. The Colt? Are you sure you trust me that much?”

“I don’t know,” Sam told her honestly. “But someone needs to have this, someone who’s going to do good. The moment you said Jack sent you, well, I knew it in my gut that it was true. Sometimes you have to go with that. At any rate, I know you can make more bullets for it, and I know you can handle it. Take it and save people.”

“Save people,” Ruby repeated.

“Saving people. Hunting things. The family business,” he said in a low near-whisper. There were tears forming in his eyes, but he didn’t seem to care. “Dean always said it, like it was the Winchester family motto.” With a weak laugh, he added, “Wanna be an honorary Winchester?”

Ruby let out a laugh of her own to match. “It’s not like I have any name other than Ruby. When I was alive, I was ‘Rubina,’ a poor girl living outside Padua in Italy. We didn’t really have surnames in those days.”

“Then go for it. Dean would _shit_ himself,” Sam said with a touch of younger brother impishness, finally wiping his eyes with his flannel shirt sleeve.

“We’ll see, Sammy.” Ruby reached to the tissues next to the work table and handed the much taller man one, which he took with mumbled thanks. “I think I want to make my own way, make a name for myself. When I have it, I’ll let you know.” She packed the Colt into the weapons bag, and she shouldered it with her other emptier bag.

“Yeah, you do that. Stay in touch,” he told her. “Have my number?”

“It’s in my phone, yeah. There were some contacts already added,” she confirmed. “I should go already, Sam. You have a peaceful life, and I swear on my brand new life, I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize it.”

Sam merely nodded, and he followed Ruby as she went upstairs, making sure to close the concealed door. Eileen was waiting by the front door, holding an insulated lunch bag. “For you. Take care of yourself.” She extended an arm to give Ruby a hug, one the former demon gladly reciprocated as tightly as the pregnant woman could stand.

“Second chances don’t come often. The chance to live again after death is precious,” Eileen told her. “Do _good_.”

“I will,” Meg promised, sliding the lunch bag into one of the others. “Thank you.” With that, she headed outside, Sam just behind her with Miracle trotting along, panting happily. 

They didn’t speak as she opened the trunk to put away the weapons and carefully set the journal aside. She slid her knife into a sheath sewn into her black leather jacket. The key to Rowena’s apartment was then slid onto her own keychain. Ruby moved to the driver side door, opening it, and set the lunch box on the passenger seat. Having nothing left to distract her, she turned to kneel down to pet the dog.

“Okay, Miracle. You take care of Sam and and Eileen and that baby. I’m trusting you.”

Miracle responded with nuzzles and a lick to her chin, making the brunette laugh.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said, and finally stood up to face Sam. “So.”

“So,” he repeated, looking her over. “This is me forgiving you. Officially. If anything, we write our own story, tell our own tales, and we deal with the consequences of our actions. I want to believe even you can change.”

Ruby nodded. “I won’t betray that trust.”

“See that you don’t.” With that, he brought her into a tight hug, the sort of embrace they’d never shared as lovers, the kind that spoke of true affection and warmth. “Take care of yourself, Rubina,” he said, using her true name. “And keep in touch.”

Ruby pulled back and nodded. “I will, and you, too. Bye, Sammy.” She noticed the pain in his face, but wasn’t sure if it was something she said. Rather than linger, she got in her car, watching Sam walk around back to his yard. With the key in the ignition, she turned it, revved the engine, and drove off into an unknown future.


	5. Heaven and Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _They say that life's a carousel  
>  Spinning fast, you've got to ride it well  
> The world is full of kings and queens  
> Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams  
> It's heaven and hell, oh well_
> 
> Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath

After a few hours on the road, Ruby felt like she was done. When she hit a major city that had places to shop that weren’t Wal*mart, that city being Denver, CO, she indulged in a few useful pieces for a capsule wardrobe, something that she could coordinate easily and would be serviceable. Other pieces that entered her luggage included a FBI Jacket filched from the trunk of an unsuspecting agent (“Seriously,” she told herself. “FBI agents only wear suits on TV.”), solid boots for hiking and climbing, and a collection of holsters for her weapons. Once that business was out of the way, she continued her drive to just northeast of Denver to the town of Boulder. She had a vague recollection of catching an old TV Show, _Mork & Mindy_, that had been set in that town.

_Yeah. The show with Robin Williams. It was cute._

Finding the Aradia Apartments was easy enough. Ruby parked her car, made sure she was armed, and grabbed her luggage from the trunk. With keys in hand, she went inside and took the lift to the top floor where Rowena MacLeod’s apartment was. She knew it had to be a top-dollar apartment; it was at the end of a long hall, indicating it was larger than the other units.

 _And it could potentially kill me,_ Ruby considered apprehensively. _Ah, fuck it. You only live once — twice? Thrice?_ Laughing to herself at the absurdity of the thought, she slid the key into the lock and turned it.

Ruby’s mouth dropped for a moment when she saw the apartment. It looked very clean, well-preserved. There were some things missing from shelves, almost as if they’d been taken or broken, and she could still see a little bit of glass in the edges of the wall furnishings. Someone had definitely cleaned the place, possibly after someone tried to get in? She didn’t know, but Sam did say the place would kill an intruder.Maybe that’s what happened. She’d have to ask him about that later.

Once the door had been closed behind her, she was able to take in the rest of the decor. The walls were a beautiful red velvet damask, one of her favorite styles. The bookshelves on the opposite wall were ebony wood, as were most of the other furnishings. Two gorgeous plush chairs sat across a small coffee table, one in rich deep grape, almost indigo, quilted fabric, and another suede chair a soft, inviting pink-beige. They were positioned in front of a fireplace of a dark-stained oak with cobalt-blue tile over a black rug with a white quatrefoil design. At the door behind her, over a lighter mahogany table was a sizeable mirror, its border gold-leafed which was accented by the Moroccan and Middle Eastern decorations. The wall behind a rather sizable ebony desk with more gold leaf accents was papered in black with a massive painting in rich greens and red, and to its immediate left was the very bookshelf Sam told her to look for.

Ruby set down her things and approached it carefully, but then she paused again when she noted the nearby portrait of a powerful female figure with milky skin and fiery red tresses. The woman was dressed in a violet and black gown with an expensive fur coat draped over her slender figure. Of course this would be the true owner of this home, Rowena MacCleod. With trembling, curious fingers, the former demon reached out to touch it.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, lass,” a voice lifted from behind her, the accent clearly Scottish.

Ruby jerked around, reaching for her knife on instinct, only to be greeted by the same woman from the painting. Indeed, it was Rowena herself who sat on the plush quilted chair, legs crossed and posture relaxed. She wore a red pantsuit with a deep V-cut neckline, a glittering bejeweled gold belt at her slender waist. With a hand sporting a perfect matching red manicure, she waved her fingers over. _This_ was Rowena MacLeod.

“Come have a seat. I won’t bite, well, unless you ask me to, and even then, I’m merely a projection,” Rowena told her.

Ruby forced herself to breath and relax, and she released the grip on her knife. With determined steps, she walked over to take a seat in the beige chair facing the other woman.

“Sam told me you were okay with me staying here,” she began.

“Ah, Samuel has a big heart in that moose body of his,” the red-haired witch said fondly. “Big enough to turn around an evil bitch like me, that’s for sure. And aye, I did grant permission, but I wanted to meet with you first.”

The brunette nodded and forced herself to settle back in the seat, taking a similar posture to the other woman. “He does, big enough to grant me forgiveness.”

Rowena nodded sagely in agreement. “And to me as well. I love the lad, and I even tried to kill him once to force Death to bring back my Fergus. You might have known him as Crowley.”

“Yeah, the Salesman. Former King of Hell,” Ruby replied, still dumbfounded it was possible.

“Ah, so proud of him, yes. He gave up his life so Sam and Dean could return with other refugees from another world. My boy,” Rowena said, dabbing at her eye with a handkerchief that appeared between her fingers. “I regretted how much like utter shite I treated him all for how his father did me. I can’t bring him back, no matter what, so I will live — er, exist with this for eternity.”

Ruby watched Rowena carefully, reading her expression and watching her movements. The act seemed genuine, and if it’s something Ruby knew a thing or five about, it was regret. “So then are you my welcoming committee?” she inquired.

“Of sorts, aye,” Rowena confirmed. “I wanted to let you know my expectations with you staying here. I’d rather you keep the aesthetic the way it is, but you can add your own touches. Leave the painting; it’s how I can keep in touch if I need to. You’re welcome to my wardrobe, but if there’s things you don’t care for, I’d rather you find a home for them where someone has good taste.”

Ruby nodded, though she was positive she might not be there often other than recharging her own batteries.

“Behind the bookshelf by the desk is a hidden room,” Rowena continued. “It was my workroom, and it has my journals, everything I know of magic. I’d hoped Samuel would have continued the craft, but if he feels you’re better suited to it, already being a witch, then I’ll defer to his sensibilities. Do not under any circumstances let anything in there make it out to the public. Anyone who enters this place at your invitation is safe; anyone who is not you, Sam Winchester, his wife, or his child will die a rather nasty painful death. Are we clear?”

“Yes, crystal clear,” the brunette agreed. “And for everything you and Sam gave me, I don’t have words to express my gratitude.” This was absolutely true and from her heart.

The ginger witch smiled beautifully, pleased. “I knew you could be a reasonable lass. So then, shall we get to know one another? Have any questions about your old home?”

Ruby couldn’t help the snort at that, given how much she’d loathed residing in Hell, even after she was a demon. “You’re not a demon, are you? How did you claim Hell’s throne?”

“Ah, like with anything in life or death, I _took_ it,” Rowena said with a grin. “There was a vacuum left with no Ruler, and while yes, I was damned and merely a soul, I’d also absorbed many souls. Quite a bit of that power bled into my own soul as my body died. Another pleasant thing I learned is that magic can travel with the soul, too, so I came into my own already powerful. I just blew the door off of my cell, sauntered my way into the throne room, and loudly announced that I, the former Queen Mother, was now the Queen in full. Incinerating the dolt on my throne was easy enough, and my subjects feared me immediately. Ah, that fear was _delicious_. It was as easy as that. I do have to flex my infernal muscles every so often, and I’ve taken the liberty of keeping an open channel of power tied to the fabric of Hell itself so I’m never without strength, but for the most part, I’ve been challenged only a handful of times. Ah, I should have died sooner, but perhaps even dying the way I did offered me some favor when I crossed the threshold. You think maybe?” Rowena raised an eyebrow, prompting Ruby for her opinion.

The former demon seemed to consider it. “After the shit Sam told me he and Dean were put through, and given who was still pulling the strings at the time, I think maybe you did have a little help and favor. Jack seems to approve of you being there.”

Rowena’s eyes lit up. “Jack! Yes, he’s the new God now. How is the lad? He’s such a good boy.”

“He seemed very... tranquil. That’s a good word. I mean, it’s not like we went out on a six-month vacation together, but we talked over coffee and these nougat candies — that kid _loves_ nougat. But I mean, I could see who he was alive. A lot of innocence, but now it’s touched with this vast knowledge. This kid has confidence, but no ego in the game, not like that Chuck guy.” Ruby trailed off, gathering her thoughts, and then a sweet gentle smile touched her lips. “He’s so loving, the kind of love that doesn’t really have a way to quantify it, you know? He wants everything to simply be, for all beings to forge their own path. He seems happy with it.”

The other woman nodded, looking pleased. “Aye, such was how I felt in the few times we’ve spoken. He’s really only come out to say hi now and again. I recall he brought Castiel back to work on restructuring Heaven. Did you know he’s done much of the same for Earth?”

“I wasn’t aware, but it makes sense. It’s like a deeper sense of connection here, like maybe we all know how interdependent we are,” Ruby agreed.

“Aye, a big part of it. I’ll let you in on a wee secret, my dear,” Rowena said, leaning forward a little. Ruby matched the action attentively. “Dean Winchester himself was the biggest influence for how Heaven is. He and Sam were always about family, about the family you choose as much as those you’re born with. You know Sam is Dean’s favorite person in all of existence, more so than anyone else alive or dead, so I reckon he’s merely waiting for his brother. But for the rest, young Jack seemed to understand that in death as much as life, we need our chosen family. Even the most solitary person needs a degree of interaction, to have someone that will support them no matter what. I believe Dean once told Fergus that family ‘has your back’.”

Ruby nodded, feeling her tears coming, which she forcibly blinked back.

“So Heaven is open now, a world of endless exploration and wonder, a place where family and friends can rejoin and live in peace. Living people look at it as some abstract term, a finality, an ending, but no, not so. Life may end, but existence endures. The _soul_ endures. The souls in Heaven earned their peace, and the souls in Hell earned their consequences, even me.” Rowena leaned back again, giving Ruby another of her charming smiles. “And you, my dear new friend, are on the track to changing your fate. We are all responsible and accountable for our decisions. You are no different.”

The words Rowena said seemed to knock the wind out of Ruby’s sails. She was speechless, dumbfounded, and awed by the revelation. Yes, it was something she knew, but hearing it from the Queen of Hell herself was something else entirely. Sometimes, words like that simply needed to be absorbed.

“Redemption. Atonement,” Ruby finally said. She’d used those words with Sam, but the gravity of it settled in the depths of her repaired soul. “That’s what I want. I want to make this new world better, to give it more than it gave me. And...” She took a breath. “I want to see the good things it has to give me in return.”

Rowena’s smile widened, and her expression grew fonder. “And you shall, my girl. You shall.” She held that expression for a beat, relaxing after she was pleased with what she saw.

“You know, I’m probably older than you,” Ruby pointed out after a beat with a teasing smile.

“Oh, aye, I’m sure of it, but humor me,” Rowena replied with a laugh. “1642, Scotland. You?”

“1352, Italy,” the former demon told the other, cocking a grin a bit. “You know, Black Death, plague, fun times. My father was a poor farmer, mostly grains. Rice was this new thing for him. Tried to marry me off to a pig farmer.”

“Ach, those days, I’m sure,” the ginger witch said sympathetically. “I was a tanner’s daughter, so can you imagine the smell? Didn’t have fancy chemicals, just sheep piss to work the hides with.”

Ruby nodded in return sympathy. “We did what we felt we needed to.”

“And damn whoever got in our way,” Rowena finished. “And so you and I both have much we need to do. My throne comes with responsibility, just as your life does. And I will be looking to you for aid.”

“Will aiding the Queen of Hell count towards redemption?” Ruby wondered.

Rowena laughed. “For what tasks I may put you do, aye. Consider it collecting the deserving. On the desk there is a pendant. If you wear it, you’ll have a degree of protection from other demons; they won’t be able to track you if you don’t want them to, for example. You might discover a few other things to help you, not that you really need it. And now, duty calls. It’s been lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Ruby said, and before she knew it, Rowena was simply gone.

With a sigh, she got up from her seat and started exploring. Indeed, the pendant was there on the desk as if it’d always been there waiting for her. It was a half moon, pointing downward, and almost as if it were fused with the moon was a gorgeous fire opal, reflecting greens and reds inside as the light danced around it. Both parts made a full and complete circle.

Rather than dwell on the symbolism of it, Ruby explored the rest of the apartment, finding the all-important wine storage, a small fridge, and a minimally stocked pantry. Rowena cleverly had a food preservation spell on the room; none of the food had gone bad.

_Apparently Rowena liked Frosted Mini Wheats. Go fig._

Ruby took her time, making herself a bowl of cereal and sat back enjoying the peace of being in a safe place. When she was done, she put the bowl in the sink and continued looking around, this time kicking off her shoes and hanging her leather jacket on the coat rack. In the bedroom, there was a plush four poster bed made with a thick soft duvet of the same red as the walls with black accents. The ensuite bathroom boasted one of the largest whirlpool bathtubs Ruby had ever seen, and immediately she set to run a bath.

Once she was soaking and relaxed, she had time to consider her conversation with Rowena. _Perhaps the Queen was wanting to live vicariously though my actions,_ Ruby thought, eyes closing with the heat of the water. _Perhaps there’s more; Rowena seems to be the kind of opportunistic person to jump when the chance is there._ More thoughts arose, but in the relaxing liquid warmth that surrounded her, they faded into the background static of her mind.

Eventually she pulled herself from the tub, dried off, applied some expensive lotion that smelled of blood oranges and amber (two of her favorite smells), and pulled on a fluffy bathrobe. Directionless, she padded her way through the apartment, towel-drying her hair as she went, and without even thinking about it, ended up back at the desk, the fire opal pendant before her. This time, Ruby put down her towel and went to pick it up.

“Another mantle to take up, hm? Fine.” The former demon spoke it aloud, as if reminding herself. “But this isn’t for Heaven or Hell or Purgatory or wherever. This is for me.”

With no further thought, Ruby unclamped the chain holding the pendant, and fixed it around her neck. The pendant fell just below the manubrium, the bone her collarbones connected to, resting at the top of her cleavage.

“This is for me,” she repeated. “Time to get to work.”


	6. The Show Must Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Empty spaces, what are we living for?  
>  Abandoned places, I guess we know the score, on and on  
> Does anybody know what we are looking for?  
> Another hero, another mindless crime  
> Behind the curtain, in the pantomime  
> Hold the line  
> Does anybody want to take it anymore?_
> 
> The Show Must Go On - Queen

Ruby hadn’t left her new home for about a week, investing in more things she would need. First off was a tablet and keyboard so she would have a way to do research on the road. She stuck with an iPad Pro, given Jack already gifted her with an iPhone. It took her a bit to get the thing set up and usable.

“For fucks’ sake,” she muttered. “This is what phones are now?” She forlornly thought of her flip phone as she paired her headphones via Bluetooth. At least she was figuring it out thanks to YouTube with its tutorials and history of tech videos. The first thing she did was email Sam to let him know she was caught up to the technology. His response was an invitation to join an online cloud storage server, and Ruby was immediately happy that she accepted.

Sam apparently had taken the time to scan in John Winchester’s journal with everything he’d learned and more. This alone was invaluable! It’s not like Ruby didn’t know quite a bit of lore as she’d lived long enough to have witnessed so much, but to have the information in this journal would give her access to twenty-plus years of another hunter’s experience. In addition to that, there was a folder that contained another folder labeled “NadiaCodexScans”, a file called “ForDean.doc”, and another labeled “ReadMeReBotD.doc” inside. In all, the server hosted a treasure trove of resources, and it moved Ruby that he would give her access.

In addition to her shopping, she put time in preparing various hex bags and talismans. She saw a satchel that already had spell implements in it, so she gathered common components she might need and loaded them into the bag. She threw a somewhat fresh journal with the other contents. She’d already taken notes from Rowena’s many journals of useful spells. The Queen’s repertoire was certainly impressive, and she understood why the apartment had such a hardcore protection spell on it.

There really was no more putting it off. It was time to go to work.

Just the other day, she’d seen an article about how several people in Biloxi, Mississippi were finding success rather suddenly. Four people won the grand jackpots at a different casino each. A backwoods doctor was suddenly pulled on as a civilian chief researcher at Keesler Air Force Base studying head trauma. A teenager suddenly was signed to a ten-album record deal after being overheard singing at a gas station. Several other sudden success stories popped up, all around Biloxi, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs. On their own, Ruby would have been happy for them. What made it odd was that all of these events happened within a week of each other.

“And another one just today,” she reminded herself. She was going to have to leave soon; she was looking at a twenty hour drive. “Well, on the road again.”

Once her apartment was secure and the Mustang was loaded up, Ruby was on the road. She made minimal stops, only as needed. Her major stops were in Amarillo and Dallas, and her last stop was for a meal and copious amounts of coffee was at a Waffle House in Slidell, Louisiana after getting past that massive bridge across Lake Pontchartrain. Ruby was exhausted by the time she reached her hotel inBiloxi. She knew why Sam and Dean liked the little podunk motels that time forgot, but she wanted a good bed and a huge bathtub.

The next morning, she dressed in business casual in an outfit consisting of tight black pants, a grey mock-turtleneck, a black blazer, and deceptively comfortable ankle boots. Her knife and gun were stashed in their concealed holsters, and she had her FBI badge on hand. One series of reverse records searches later, and she had addresses for the unlikely winners. She’d checked with the jackpot winners first, but two were very drunk, one wasn’t answering the door, and the other just said it was pure luck. At several places, she could see people dressed in black gathering, and she wasn’t about to intrude on the funerals. Still, it wasn’t until her last target, the teenager from the gas station, that she hit paydirt.

Ruby knocked on the door of an older house that looked as if was ready to be renovated. The door was answered by an overly tanned middle-aged Caucasian woman who looked far older than she probably was due to sun damage, sporting a haircut that could only be described as “The Karen”.

“Hi, I’m Agent Roberta Berens,” Ruby said, holding her badge. “I’m here to speak to Fiona Haskell.”

“Whoa, the FBI? YES, I mean, sure, I can talk,” the young voice called out before the mother could open her mouth. She was very conventionally pretty with strawberry pink hair on one side and Smurf blue on the other. “Can we talk somewhere that isn’t here?”

“Fiona, no. Agent Berens, I’m sorry. I’d rather Fiona talk here. I’m her mother, Karen Haskell,” the woman said.

Not only does she look like a Karen, but she is a Karen, Ruby thought to herself, doing what the could to hide her smirk. The girl, Fiona, looked desperate to get out, her eyes begging like a sad, lost puppy.

“I do actually need to question her privately. Here’s my card,” Ruby said, producing one with a number for her “superior”, in reality some retired hunter werewolf dentist named Garth. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring your pop star up and comer back in one piece.”

“I do want to speak to your supervisor, but I’m not going to argue with an FBI agent right in front of me,” Karen said reasonably. “Fine. Fiona, you call me the moment you feel in uncomfortable, though.”

“Sure, Mom. Bye,” the girl said, and she stepped out. “Dude, a classic Mustang? Y’all FBI folks get the sweet rides!”

“Sometimes they let us drive our own cars and comp us for the miles,” Ruby said, indicating the passenger side.

She let herself in and waited for the teen to be buckled up and comfortable. This gave Ruby a chance to look the girl over. Jeans torn fashionably at the knees, all black Chuck Taylors, a graphic t-shirt with a hoodie over it displaying a familiar pentagram and burst pattern.

“What’s the pentagram on your hoodie?” Ruby asked.

“Oh, it’s from some books about monster hunters. They were good, but the writer just stopped all of a sudden. It’s still a rad jacket,” Fiona replied. “What, not cool anymore?

“Nah, it’s still cool, kiddo,” the former demon said. “Looks like you have a hole in it, though.”

“Yeah, it got ripped. It sucks. This is my favorite,” Fiona replied.

It was a short drive to a sleepy little doughnut shop run by a tiny Vietnamese grandmother who had her drama shows on very loudly in the back of the kitchen. Four doughnuts and two coffees later, and the pair had relative privacy.

It wasn’t until the elderly woman turned up her TV again that Fiona blurted out, “My mom sold her soul.”

“Excuse me, _what_?” Ruby managed, completely blurting it out.

“Sold it. She’s always tried to get my famous, put me in shows and singing contests and shit. I don’t want that! Then she drags me down to some podunk nowhere crossroads and buries this box, and next thing I know there’s some dude there with red eyes!” Fiona looked around, hoping they weren’t overheard. “I mean, I saw Xfiles reruns. Don’t you have some sorta supernatural investigation unit or something?”

“You watch a lot of TV, kid, but...” Ruby let out a sigh. “Okay, yeah, we do. I’m a special investigator for metaphysical and supernatural occurrences. About fifteen people all came into incredible fortune in a place that maybe sees that kind of luck every few years at most. You were the last on the list. We had some drunks, a few people who wouldn’t tell me much, and — hold that.” She checked a message on her phone from the same Garth who was supposed to be her superior.

[Hey, I checked your area. Tracking lucky people?]

[Yeah, got anything? I passed four funeral parties.]

[Raise that by three more. Accident involving stairs, a terrible accident involving a sewing machine and fabric shears, and someone rolled over by a Blue Bell Ice Cream delivery truck.]

[Shit. Thanks. Following up on a lead. Talk on the phone later.]

Ruby looked up from her phone. “Can you tell me anything about the demon your mom made the deal with?”

Fiona gulped down her coffee. “A pretty lady, introduced herself as Yesebet. I mean, she had freaky red eyes. She was going to try to get my soul first, but Mom said no deal unless it was her own, so the demon agreed. Look, I tried to stop her, but there as this power on me, kept me from moving or talking. I don’t want this! I want my mom back.”

Ruby frowned. This kid didn’t want fame or any of that, but she was pulled into it forcibly. The contract wold make it happen whether she wanted it or not. The girl was seventeen, ready to graduate, ready to make her own path. Instead, she was begging a complete stranger to believe her. Something about the girl wasn’t sitting right.

“So how did your mom learn to summon a Crossroads Demon?” she asked, paying close attention to Fiona’s mannerisms.

“Some guy, an agent friend of hers, he told her how. His name’s Seth. He said he was staying at the Hilton Garden Inn,” Fiona said. “Can you help my mom?”

Ruby let out a sigh. “I don’t know, Fiona. Usually, the Crossroads demon has to cancel the contract.” _Hell’s not supposed to be making contracts anymore, though._

“You learn all of that with the FBI?” the younger woman asked. “I might need to reconsider my major.”

“Don’t, trust me. You don’t want to live in this world,” Ruby insisted. She took one of her own business cards and gave it to the girl. “Keep this and call me if you see anything crazy. Text me anything you can’t say aloud.”

“Okay,” Fiona said. “Thanks for the doughnuts.”

Ruby smirked. “Anytime.”

As she drove Fiona back, something in her gut pulled at her, a nagging thought that wouldn’t shut up. The fact that Fiona talked so much, that she ratted on her mom so quickly, it could have been true concern, but something didn’t sit right. Then again, she thought, teenagers are super impulsive. She tabled that thought in her head for the meanwhile, instead thinking about if she would take the direct approach with the agent or stake him out. She still had the murders to look into, but she had magic on her side to scry in on the crime scenes. It might just require those talents.

Karen was waiting for Fiona when they arrived, looking concerned. The blonde looked Ruby over with a bit of skepticism.

“Your boss vouched for you, said you were one of his best,” the mother said. “So I guess this was okay. Where did you two go?”

“We just got doughnuts and coffee,” Fiona said. “Ugh, I know you’re going to lecture me on caffeine. I’m _seventeen_ , Mom. _Soooo_ over it.” She slipped past her mother with a pause to thank Ruby, and she shuffled inside.

“I hope she wasn’t spouting off some nonsense to you. She’s got a crazy imagination on her. I thought she should be a writer, but then this happened, the record deal and all,” Karen explained. She looked like she might say more, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out, and a frightened look crossed her face for a split second.

Ruby looked Karen over in concern. “You okay there?”

“Frog in my throat,” Karen finally said. “Will you let us know if there’s trouble?”

The brunette gave the other woman what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “You got it. Here’s my personal card. I’m sorry I didn’t leave it before, you know, with how rushed Fiona seemed.”

“It’s all right. Thank you, Agent Berens.” Karen turned to go into the house and shut and locked the front door behind her.

Ruby turned to walk back to The Boss, as she now referred to her Mustang. “Curiouser and curiouser,” she muttered to herself, quoting Alice in Wonderland. Once inside, she took a few moments to make notes on her iPad, making sure to save a copy to Sam’s server in case he had other people on it who could offer her some insight. Once her notes were updated, she turned the key in the ignition, relishing the roar of The Boss’s engine, and drove off.

Her other stops were routine and far simpler than dealing with an anxious teenager. Police station first to check on reports, then the morgue to look at the bodies. None of them had any of the usual signs of curses, but something was a bit odd to her, noticeable as she checked the one that met a terrible fate by her own fabric shears.

The coroner was a beautiful Latina woman with rich creamy latte-tan skin and healthy long black hair pulled into a braided chignon. She introduced herself as Lucia Bernal, but insisted that Ruby call her by her first name.

“I’m sure you saw the report, but it looked like the thread started piling outside of the needle, like something was caught, and it took her by surprise,” Lucia explained. “At least, that’s my theory. She has lacerations on her fingers that look like punctures and thread slices. Forensics showed there were pieces of cotton in the wounds, consistent with the thread causing them.”

Ruby looked over the body of the older female corpse, a woman in her early sixties, lifting the fingers with her nitrile gloves to look at the tips. “Yeah, but it’s like the thread wrapped all the way around her fingers here. What about the stab wounds?”

“Yeah, that’s odd. I’m not sure what angle someone could fall that the scissors would fall so directly and with enough force to puncture her bowel like that. And see that bruising on her forehead? The sewing machine landed on her head,” Lucia explained.

“Sewing machines are heavy, but I didn’t think one was that heavy, not to cause a fracture like that,” Ruby said, looking the wound over. A nasty gash with an obvious dent behind it was obvious across the corpse’s upper temple, the color of it blue and black with traces of blood still at the epicenter.

“Ah, yeah, but this lady had a Singer 66. The thing is metal and weighs thirty pounds,” Lucia explained. “The hard edge of the sewing platform hit her directly, too. She was clearly concussed; that alone might not have killed her, but the scissors to the gut certainly helped. By my estimate, she was knocked out and bled out.”

The ex-demon made a disapproving sound in her throat, shaking her head. “Pardon me, but that’s a hell of a bizarre way to die.”

“You’re telling me!” Lucia agreed. “Thing is, she was alone. Her security cams showed no activity around her house. The only reason she was found is because her neighbor came by to return some Tupperware.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow, thinking it over. It sounded like the work of a ghost or demon for sure. She compared it with her notes on the other deaths, but all of theirs had been ruled as accidental or natural. On a hunch, she looked up at Lucia.

“Have you done a toxicology test?” she asked.

Lucia’s expression turned rather oddly amused. “Yeah, I actually did. It’s not routine in these cases, but I felt like I should. The only chemicals that showed up were her usual medications, but they were in smaller amounts than they should have been for what her active daily prescriptions were. Nothing else was out of the ordinary except for something that didn’t match her medical records. The hemoglobin test indicated sulfhemoglobinemia, elevated sulfur in the blood, but with no trace of cyanosis. None of her medications included sulfonamides.”

“I’ll add that to my report,” Ruby said, her quiet voice masking the shake that threatened to sneak into it. “This was really helpful. Thank you, Lucia.” She carefully removed her gloves, threw them in the biohazard bin, and handed the coroner her card. “Please call me if you find anything else odd, ok?”

Lucia nodded firmly. “Will do. Thank you for taking this seriously. I’d like to put this to rest.”

Ruby’s drive back to her hotel went quickly enough, but the entire way there, her mind as racing. A high trace of sulfur in the blood indicated that the older woman had been possessed by a powerful demon that let the body die while still being possessed. A lot of hunters wouldn’t think to check for that, but Ruby’s experience was unique.

With a sigh, she parked and grabbed her work bag, heading to her ground level hotel room. She unlocked the door with her key card, letting herself in and turning on the light. In shock and alarm, however, she dropped her bag and had her Browning at the ready.

“Who are you?” she called out, looking at the object of her surprise.

In the center of the room was young man with deep brown hair, highlighted with golden tones. He stood about five and a half feet and had an athletic build, like a martial artist, with skin tanned from outdoor activity. His clear hazel eyes were fixed on her, and he raised his hands placatingly.

“I’m not a demon, not fully, but I _am_ a hunter. I’m not here to hurt anyone. I’m here to stop the demons behind this,” he pleaded. “ _Please_ put the gun down.”

“Tell me your name first and what you are. I can smell demon on you,” she told him, unwavering.

The young man sighed. “I’m a Cambion. My name is Jesse Turner.”


	7. To Beat the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _You see, the devil haunts a hungry man,  
>  If you don't wanna join him, you got to beat him.  
> I ain't sayin' I beat the devil, but I drank his beer for nothing.  
> Then I stole his song._
> 
> To Beat the Devil - Johnny Cash

“I’m a Cambion. My name is Jesse Turner.”

The phrase didn’t put Ruby at all at ease. “Is that supposed to make me less wary? You really need to learn how to read your audience.”

“Please,” the young man said, pleading. “I’m trying to find some people that helped me. Sam and Dean Winchester, and an angel named Castiel.”

That caught Ruby off guard. “Okay.” Ruby lowered her gun, still keeping a skeptical eye on the intruder as she lowered and holstered her gun. “Jesse Turner, you said? A Cambion? Shit.” She let out a long sigh. Take a seat.” She indicated towards the chair at the dining table.

“Sure.” Jesse moved over and sat, watching as Ruby reached into her bag and took out her iPad. He could see a nasty-looking knife strapped to her back. “That thing is a demon-killing knife, right?”

“Yeah, can you sense it?” Ruby asked, grabbing a couple of beers. She held out the bottles, and the caps popped off them both by magic. One was set down right in front of the impressed man, and he took it with thanks, taking a drink.

“I can. I can see demons’ true faces. I have some other abilities, but not the power I used to when Lucifer was around, not without help,” he said. “I take it you know the Winchesters? I didn’t really _want_ to sneak into your place, but I saw you investigating those murders. I need a hunter’s help.”

 _A hunter, huh? I guess I am_. “And I was the lucky girl. So you asked about the Winchesters, and yes, I know them. And the angel.” She wasn’t going to tell him yet, just see if he was the person she thought he was pretending to be.

“So you know there was an Apocalypse about seventeen years ago?” Jesse prompted.

Ruby was immediately happy Sam took the time to fill her in. “Yeah, a couple, but you’re talking about what was supposed to be Capital-T Capital-A ‘The Apocalypse’.”

“Yeah, so, after Lucifer was released, I got a lot of reality-warping powers. I hurt people...” Jesse trailed off, and then he took a drink of his beer. “They kept me safe, told me the truth, and I left my folks so I wouldn’t cause any problems. Wasn’t too bad spending the time in Australia. I came back to check on my parents and found I couldn’t teleport anymore. I was me again, but I could see the demons. When my powers came back again, I spent some time actually learning how to use it. But then I knew Lucifer was gone. And my powers were, too... so I thought.” He drank down more of his beer, unaware that Ruby was recording the conversation. “They changed.”

“Okay, your powers changed?” _He’s really spilling it. Poor guy._ “Go on,” she told him.

“I can sense demons. I can exorcise them. I’m pretty strong. With the right juice, I can control them.” Jesse shrugged. “So if you know the Winchesters, can you point me towards them?”

“I know them, yes, and no, I can’t,” the brunette informed him.

Jesse seemed disappointed, almost angered, though clearly directed at himself. “Then I’m sorry to have taken up your time,” he said, starting to stand.

“No, you don’t. _Sit_ ,” Ruby ordered in a voice that allowed no protest. When Jesse complied, she continued. “There’s a lot you don’t know about that happened, a memory removed from everyone’s mind, and you don’t need the whole story. What you need to know is that Castiel is back in Heaven, and Dean Winchester has been dead for just over a year.”

If Jesse was disappointed before, he seemed absolutely morose, despite his attempts to hide it. “Oh.. and Sam?”

“Married, expecting a child. We’re _not_ dragging him into this.” A slow smirk grew on her face. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

“No, I’m sorry. I just knew you were a hunter,” the young man replied nervously.

“My name is Ruby, and I was the demon that led Sam to release Lucifer,” she told him. It was all for reaction, to test him, but she played it up, leaning forward.

Jesse’s eyes grew wide despite himself, and he leaned back to put distance between him and Ruby, but in the next instant he stared squarely at her, his eyes shifting to a cloudy grey long enough to read her before returning to its usual hazel.

“You’re not a demon.” Just saying it aloud made him relax.

“Good eye,” Ruby told him. “But it’s true, I was before. I got a second chance. So maybe you found a Winchester-by-proxy.”

The man’s expression didn’t change, though Ruby was positive he was stewing over what he was feeling under the surface. He finally nodded. “Then I think you and I are technically on the same hunt,” he finally told her.

“This gets better and better,” Ruby replied with a dry laugh. “Another beer?”

“Yeah, sure.” With that, Jesse began with current events as his host went to retrieve a couple more bottles.

They needed more beers than just one more round. As it turned out, Jesse had been followed to Biloxi where he was trying to lie low. His entire adult life was spent moving from place to place, living out of his 1984 Volkswagen Vanagon camper, and avoiding the demons that were after him. He’d been hunting since he was sixteen, and that six years of experience served him well in protecting himself. He thought Biloxi would be safe, that no one would find him, and then he saw the string of success stories, positive there were Crossroads deals being made. Rather than keep running, he decided to fight. He’d tried Dean’s cell phone, but it was disconnected (“I guess I know why now,” he added sadly.) and even though he had reason to distrust Castiel, he’d even prayed to the angel just two nights before.

“Two nights, you said?” Ruby repeated in a soft voice. She remembered her conversation with Sam not two weeks before.

_“That’s really good,” Sam said. “I’m glad he got another chance, that he’s up there doing good.” Another sigh escaped him. “Damn, Ruby. I’d sure like to see him, to thank him, to tell him I miss him and Dean and Jack and...”_

_Ruby shrugged. “Maybe you will, Sam. Just say a prayer, tell him hi. He’ll be listening. Your answer may not be in words, but Castiel’s that kind of guy. He’ll let you know in the right way.”_

Despite herself, her eyes drifted towards the window and up at the night sky. She knew Heaven wasn’t really “up there”, as folks said, but it gave her a direction. It could have been coincidence or the hand of a newly fledged archangel, but no matter what, it was hers to act on.

“Two days ago, I put the case together. I happened to catch some articles about it, so I pieced it together,” Ruby informed Jesse, and then she pulled up the notes on her iPad, talking about the interview with Fiona, about the corpse with the high sulfur content, and about the other ‘accidental’ deaths.

“So far, the only confirmed soul sold is Karen’s,” Ruby said tiredly. “It doesn’t make sense why we have a demon killing off their meatsuit, other people knocked off, and all of the rest of it.”

“Why don’t we split up tomorrow and dig around on the living?” Jesse suggested. “I mean, I can see them.”

“I know how to make a way for me to see them,” Ruby said, “which I should have done from the get-go. All right. Well, you have your van and all?”

“In the parking lot near that sweet Mustang of yours,” Jesse affirmed. “I don’t mind playing guard on your door.”

Ruby laughed. “Are you going to be my Knight-Protector? Do you have any idea how much older than you I am?”

“I never ask a lady her age, especially a lady who could likely hand me my ass on a silver platter before I knew it was gone,” Jesse retorted with a smirk. “And this isn’t my first rodeo, either. Like I said earlier, sometimes the hunted has to become the hunter.”

“Right,” Ruby said. “Okay, then. Come knock on my door at 9:30, and we’ll get to work. There better be coffee with you.”

He laughed easily at that. “Aye, Captain Ruby Winchester-by-proxy.” Jesse mock-saluted.

“For fucks’ sake, no. I’m just Ruby.” She snorted. “And ‘Just Ruby’ wants you to get out now.”

“Yes, ma’am!” With that and a statement of good night, Jesse left, and Ruby locked the door behind him, taking special care to set wards on her doors and windows. Releasing a sigh and a long eyeroll at having an un-asked-for but not unwelcome partner, she turned towards the spa whirlpool in the corner of the hotel room.

“All right, huge glorious ablution pit,” she said to it seductively ( _When did I get this silly?_ ), and went to start the water for a very long, well-deserved soak.

Once she was dry and in pajamas, she stopped to message Garth in apology, letting him know she was following up on another lead tomorrow, but she didn’t wait for a reply.

The next morning, Ruby woke to find her wards still in place and her body relaxed, even if her mind was already working on the details of her case. It was still so weird, considering what she’d learned and the fact that a Cambion who was running away from demons happened to be in the place it was happening, and he also happened to pray to an angel who very likely knew she was alive and hunting.

 _Damn it, Castiel. If you’re up there watching this shitshow of my life, I hope you’re laughing it up._ Ruby had no heat in the thought, however. This is what she came back for, right?

This time Ruby didn’t waste time with her business casual look from yesterday. She never understood why the Winchesters did the whole suit-and-tie FBI look when any officer would only wear that to the courthouse and formal meetings. No, today was jeans and boots with an AC/DC t-shirt, a black and grey plaid overshirt, and her leather jacket. When in the South, especially the Gulf Coast, you layer for the bizarre weather and keep your hair braided.

“I need to cut this shit off,” she muttered aloud to herself. She braided two long plaits, twisted them up, and secured the low bun with a hair tie, letting a few tasteful tendrils frame the sides of her face. A little freshening, a little makeup, and loading her weapons. In addition to her Browning, she loaded and packed the Colt, and made sure her knife was in its holster at her back for easy access under her flannel. Tucked into her front pocket was a slender case containing glasses that’d been seared in Holy Oil and enchanted.

“And this, boys, is what we call ‘accessorizing’,” she said aloud, checking herself in the mirror to make sure her weapons couldn’t be seen. Ruby was just done with her preparations when there was an expected knock on her door right at 9:30 AM.

Dispelling the wards took seconds, and then she had the door unlocked and opened to allow the Cambion in.

“Okay, I’m impressed,” she told him as she took one of the two lattes he held. The coffee shop’s name made her laugh outright. “The Jacked-Up Coffee Bar?”

“Hey, it’s coffee, and it smelled good,” Jesse said with a good-natured grin. He was dressed similarly casual — jeans, t-shirt, denim jacket, cross-trainer tennis shoes.

“Well, it’s delightful morning go-go juice that keeps Mama Ruby from murdering everyone who annoys her,” the brunette informed him. “All right, so here’s our list,” she said. “I’ll let you take our casino winners. I want to check the agent and see if I can get who he’s working for.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jesse said. The two paused in the parking lot for a moment to exchange phone numbers. “Be careful. I have a bad feeling.”

“You, too,” Ruby told him. She wanted to trust him, but her gut told her to trust no one. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have allies.

The coffee was hot the way she liked it, and the day was pretty if chilly heading into November on the Gulf Coast. The Boss seemed to mimic her determined, confident mood, even if there was some confusion in her thoughts. It wasn’t that far of a drive to the Hilton Garden Inn, and after a little flirting with the man in his slouchy wrinkled uniform at the front desk, she had Seth’s room number. Before she could head to the agent’s room, however, there was a shrill scream from across the way, and she immediately darted out. Her heart sank when she found it was Seth’s room.

The woman who screamed was one of the cleaning staff, a small Asian lady, currently being consoled by one of her coworkers, a female security guard. The taller auburn-haired woman had to be in her early forties with an athletic guild and bright green eyes that seemed to miss nothing.Another security guard was on the phone, calling the police, so Ruby knew she needed to work quickly. A quick incantation rendered her invisible to the people around, and she made it to the hotel room.

Inside looked like the aftermath of a slasher flick. The man looked to be in his early thirties, a Black gentleman in a fine tailored suit, impeccably manicured, and likely would have been likewise clean if not for the crusted dried blood on his chest, pooling into the carpet as it drained sideways from a large slit in his throat. The cut looked like it was a couple of hours old, and the room reeked of sulfur, familiar spell components, blood, and a hint of metal. A quick look around showed her what she needed to see: a faint ring of red in the carpet that indicated a large chalice might have been there.

 _Fucking demons_ , she mentally cursed.

There didn’t seem to be anything else of interest until she noticed the fragment of a bloody footprint as it seemed to head out to the room’s door. She slipped out, and once safely out of range, she dismissed her spell, returning to pretend to be a bystander. Her phone in hand, she went to text Jesse about what was going on, when she noticed something.

As Ruby was looking down at her phone, she saw work boots with a few little bits of red splatter on the side. If she hadn’t been looking down already, she’d have missed it. Casually, she slid the glasses from her front pocket, on, acting as if she was using them to read her phone, and she looked up to see who the shoes belonged to.

The auburn-haired security guard, her arm still around her coworker, had the twisted thorny visage of a demon.


	8. Everybody Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And everybody knows that you're in trouble  
>  Everybody knows what you've been through  
> From the bloody cross on top of Calvary  
> To the beach of Malibu  
> Everybody knows it's coming apart  
> Take one last look at this Sacred Heart  
> Before it blows  
> And everybody knows._
> 
> Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen

Ruby wasn’t actually surprised to find the demon responsible to still be at the scene and even more, that she knew this one. Too many of them had more maliciousness than sense. The former demon in her mentally chided the culprit; she didn’t clean her shoes, probably didn’t wear gloves, and if she did, the gloves were probably in the trash nearby.

 _Sloppy_.

At least now she had someone to question, someone who could get her what she wanted. With centuries of patience, Ruby watched the demon, staying carefully out of the way as she willed Rowena’s pendant to keep her hidden. So far, she wasn’t noticed, so it must have been working. The tall woman carried an insulated lunch box over her shoulder, holding it protectively with her free arm. Staying in the background, Ruby waited until the demon extracted herself from the crowd after the police arrived, following her into what looked like a maintenance room, still unnoticed. The demon locked the door and then moved to a little folding table.

The insulated lunch bag did have something important in it, as Ruby suspected. She watched as the demon pulled unzipped the bag and removed a chalice from it, the top sealed over with a couple of layers of clingfilm to prevent the bloody contents from spilling out. Carefully, the damned creature placed it on the table and went about the spell to communicate with another demon. Ruby started recording the audio with her phone.

“Yesebet, it’s me, Bune,” the demon said in a reverent tone. “Yeah, yeah, new meatsuit. Seth’s been dealt with.” She seemed to be listening. “No, I don’t think he communicated with the upstart Queen.”

Ruby could hear some of the conversation. It helps to still understand the Infernal tongue. She focused her senses to see if she could make out more, irritated her phone wouldn’t pick up what this Yesebet was saying. Spying an empty bucket, she took advantage of the conversation to take out a Sharpie and draw on it.

“Good, Bune,” Yesebet hissed through he blood. “We’ve collected a good number of souls to use as a power source. We can migrate into New Orleans next to harvest some more in a couple of days.”

“Excellent,” Bune replied, letting out a sigh. “I’m a bit nervous here, boss. I think we’ve already pulled in a couple of hunters.”

“Oh, I’m _sure_ of it. I met an FBI agent already, some sort of special investigator. I’m sure she’s going to be back, but I’ll be ready,” the higher-ranked demon said.

 _Who did I... Oh shit, Karen_! Ruby cursed herself for her carelessness. She knew _something_ was off yesterday, but didn’t act on it.

“Oh, something else. There’s another presence I felt, but it was cloudy. Demonic but not really.” Bune visibly suppressed a shudder. “Boss, I think it’s our Cambion.”

There was a sensation of delighted surprise from the goblet. “So he took the bait. Good. We’ve been hunting the little shit for too long. Is he alone?”

Bune shrugged. “Beats me, but he took out two of our number last night. I know you had us order to break their necks when we possessed them, but I dunno if they squealed to him.”

“It’s not a big deal if he did. We’re _so_ close.” There as a pause. “Okay, I have a few more Deals pending. I’m gonna get back to the house. Watch your ass.” Without waiting, the communication link ended.

“Watch your ass, indeed. She didn’t say anything about your head,” Ruby said, making herself known, and before the demon could react, her head was covered by the large blue mop bucket Ruby drew a devil’s trap on just a few moments before. Bune started to struggle, but Ruby drew her knife and cut the back of her leg, bringing the demon down just enough that the witch could bang the demon hard on the head using the hilt of her knife. Bune went down hard.

“Still got it,” Ruby boasted to herself. With extended fingers, she chanted a binding spell, wrapping slender graceful tendrils of purple energy around the unconscious demon. She knew the bucket wouldn’t stay on long, and the demon could come to at any moment.

Working quickly, she took her Sharpie and drew another devil’s trap on the floor. Taking a folding chair and bungee cords, Ruby moved the deadweight demon and bound her to the chair. She took another folding chair for herself and waited, sending a text to Jesse as she did so.

[Caught a demon. They know about you. Hunting for you.] she texted.

[TY. I know. Casino ppl R demons.] Jessie replied, and Ruby resisted the urge to roll her eyes in distaste at the ‘net-speak’ typing. [Told me nothing. Felt another demon. Killed 2 last nite.]

This seemed to fall in line with what the demons were discussing. [Don’t go near the Haskell place. Wait for me. Take out other demons. Dead meatsuits. Gotta go.]

[K] was the response, and Ruby pocketed her phone as she saw the demon stir.

“Wha...Fuck.” Bune groaned, immediately realizing she was caught. Her eyes narrowed onto the calm hunter who watched her with feigned boredom, but then went wide in shock. “I know that face you’re wearing! Ruby! But you died. The Winchesters, and you...” The demon trailed off. “You’re human.”

“And a witch. Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious,” Ruby replied, scoffing. “You were never very careful or smart, Bune.”

“But how?” the demon insisted. “We knew you died. You died a _hero_. You started the Apocalypse!”

Ruby’s expression turned irritated. “Yes, I did. And I went to the Empty for it. Did you know there’s something worse than Hell when demons die?”

“I...” Bune trailed off, and realizing, she started struggling more against her bonds. With a flick of her wrist and a clench of her hand into a fist, Ruby stopped the demon’s struggling. Realizing it was of no use, Bune forced herself to relax.

“So we can do this the fast way. Quick and easy, minimal suffering. Then you go to the Empty and dream every bad choice you’ve ever made for eternity,” Ruby said, only allowing a small touch of a sneer to show. “Or the slow, painful, drawn-out way where I take my special knife that kills demons and cut pieces of your shriveled infernal garbage soul piece by piece until you then go to the Empty and dream of every bad choice you’ve ever made for eternity. What’ll it be?”

“Can I have what’s behind door number 3?” Bune asked hopefully. “Come on, Ruby, we’re old friends!”

Ruby actually laughed at that. “Nope, only two choices.” With calculated motion, she withdrew her knife. “We were _never_ friends.”

“What do you want?” the demon asked. “Shit, Ruby, I’m going to die anyway if Yesebet knows I let myself be caught.” The expressions on her face turned to one of panic and despair.

“I’ll cover your corpse. Just tell me what I want to know, and you’ll get a quick death, ‘old friend’.” Ruby held up her demon killing knife, flipping it in her hand nonchalantly.

Bune’ s eyes went wide again, looking at the knife, and in her panic, it all came rushing out. “Yesebet wants to take Hell back from Rowena. She’s been making deals and harvesting souls, keeping them in a Soul Catcher. When she has enough, she’s going to use their power and her followers to force Rowena off the throne.”

The witch looked a little surprised. “Wow, you’re quite the songbird, singing like that. I thought you were going to hold out longer. What’s a Soul Catcher? How long was Yesebet a Haskell?”

“Since we moved in. She had Seth first, and then moved into her once the deal was made. The Soul Catcher is this crystal. It does what it says, catches souls,” Bune replied, still staring at the night. “ _Please_ , Ruby...”

“Why do you all keep jumping bodies like that?” the brunette interrupted.

“We get the deals, then one of us possesses them,” Bune said. “Then we can just kill them off when we want and set up the deaths. I needed to call Yesebet though, so I used that Seth guy.”

“And you were sloppy,” Ruby sighed, rolling her eyes. “How many are you out there?”

“Eight, including me and Yesebet,” the demon answered. “Come _on_ , I helped you!”

Ruby held up one finger, and she stopped to text Jesse.

[How many total did you kill?] she sent.

[4. RU OK?] he replied.

[Yes. Will be 3 left soon if this demon isn’t lying. BBL.] She wasn’t _completely_ behind on the Internet acronyms. Her phone returned to the pocket of her jeans, and the looked up at Bune with a smirk. “Are you sure it’s eight?”

“Y-yes. We’ve only been at this a few months.” Bune shuddered, trying to back up in the chair, but of course she couldn’t move any farther than the boundary of the devil’s trap. “Ruby, don’t do this, please! You were one of us! You’d be in on this!”

Ruby crossed the line into the trap, careful now that she was in the demon’s range of attack, but she also remembered that Bune was a lesser demon. “I got better,” she said calmly, and before the demon could try to lean forward to headbutt her former comrade, the demon-killing knife was imbedded in her heart to the hilt. The demonic soul inside of her flashed with sickly fiery light, expression one of incredible pain, and then she died, leaving the lifeless vessel behind.

The former demon withdrew her knife, wiping it on the corpse’s uniform. She inspected the body for anything useful, taking a taser, some handcuffs with keys, and some cash to make it look like a robbery. The name on the driver’s license read “Simone Cleary”, and Ruby took a moment to whisper an apology to the poor woman who had to suffer this fate. No, she wouldn’t be able to hide the body properly, but there was another way.

Slipping out of the room was easy enough. Ruby took care to not only lock the door behind her, but break the key off in the lock. The keychain was next dumped in the bed of a pickup truck decorated with Confederate flags and pro-gun racist bumper stickers. She didn’t feel bad about it in the least.

Unlike Bune, Ruby was careful and experienced. There was no trail, and she’d left no prints, hair, or skin at the scene thanks to her magic. Once she was back in the Mustang, she ran a finger over the stone of Rowena’s pendant, hoping it would give her a way to see if there was anything else in the area. As if it could sense her intent, her senses expanded, and she could feel that there were no demons in the area, though she could also tell there was a shapeshifter somewhere out there. Rather than let herself be distracted by that, she withdrew from the pendant’s gift.

Pulling out into the street, she took the moment to call Jesse over Bluetooth. “Hey, how’re doing?”

“Tired. Freaked out. I think I’m being f—“

She heard him make a pained noise followed by a sound of the phone hitting the concrete. It was then she heard male voice. “Yeah, Yesebet, Ipos here. Got the Cambion.” He fell silent as if listening to something. “Okay, yeah, Valac is nearby. We’ll meet you at the house. Dropped his phone... okay, I’ll bring it.”

Ruby quickly disconnected the call to hopefully prevent anyone from knowing Jesse had been talking to her. A speedy (and probably illegal) U-turn a few moments later had her heading back towards the Haskell address. She parked a block away, however, and she went at a run to the house in the decreasing light of the day.

The house had the lights off, but with the pendant, the witch could sense three demons, someone not completely demonic, and a human inside. That was enough for her to know this was going to be a showdown, but there was no point going in with her guns blazing when she didn’t know how they were armed or their power levels, especially if Jesse was inside. Ruby mentally cursed at herself for them not staying together where she could keep an eye on him.

 _He’s in his twenties and is an experienced hunter_ , she told herself. He knew the risks, but he should have been more careful!

For just a moment, she had a flashback to her days as a demon, after a successful hunting of other demons with Sam Winchester.

_“They all hate you now, you know,” Sam commented, trailing fingers along her spine with rough fingers. There was still a twinge of red to his teeth from the blood he’d just consumed. He practically glowed with the power._

_Ruby leaned in to kiss him, to taste the metallic residue on his lips. “And they fear you. They fear what you can do. You’re not a little scared?”_

_“I’m not afraid of them_ or _you,” Sam told her firmly. “You’ve had my back. I couldn’t have gotten this far without you,” he added a little bitterly._

She blinked hard, willing the tears that threatened back. It had been just after she and Sam started sleeping together, something she’d wielded as a means to keep him under her influence. At the moment, it’d pulled at something in her, and now, she knew what it was.

 _I wasn’t used to being needed_ , she considered, and here and now, years later, another person legitimately needed her. _Here I come, Jesse._

With practiced ease, she snuck through the neighbor’s backyard and over the fence and up onto the roof of the Haskell’s covered patio, using the pendant to hide her presence. Footsteps from the ground just in front of the roofed area sounded, patrolling the area. She didn’t need her glasses; the pendant showed her the demon’s face.

 _Valac, huh? Assholes on patrol._ Slithering along as silently as she could, she wriggled down to the edge of the roof. She made a whistling sound at the demon patrolling below, and as predicted, he looked right up at her. The moment he made eye contact, she threw a small item, something he easily caught in his hand.

The demon looked at it in confusion, then looked up at Ruby, and before he could call out or say anything, he started to cough. Black bile poured from his lips, coming out in spurts as Valac’s hacking grew more and more violent. Blood and demonic essence drained from his gaping mouth, and he fell to his knees and collapsed to his side, quivering in his convulsive death throes as he died.

 _So that is how this_ Defigere Et Depurgare _spell works. I will have to figure out some way to get a gift basket to Hell_ , Ruby thought, impressed. Of course, now that her first target was down, that meant she had two more to contend with. Moving her body around, she jumped to the ground, landing on the grass with both feet, and moved to stop at the open sliding glass door that led into the kitchen.

Ipos, the demon she’d heard over Jesse’s phone was sitting at the kitchen table, was facing away from Ruby’s position. She slid around the edge, just out of view, and let out a small bit of magic, enough to knock over a vase on the counter just on the other opposite side of the door.

Of course the demon took the bait. Ipos got up, checking back towards the other room, and then he went to investigate the broken vase, picking up a few fragments.

“What ha—!!” His inquiry was cut off as Ruby shoved her knife into his back with enough force to sever his spine. She caught him before he could fall fully to the floor, opting to lower him down gently to not attract noise. 

_Two down, one to go_.


	9. I Won’t Back Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Well, I won't back down  
>  No, I won't back down  
> You can stand me up at the gates of hell  
> But I won't back down  
> I'm gonna stand my ground  
> Won't be turned around  
> And I'll keep this world from dragging me down  
> Gonna stand my ground  
> And I won't back down_
> 
> I Won’t Back Down - Tom Petty

Ruby drew the Colt, moving around the corner to look into the living room. What she saw had her blood run cold and her heart drop into her stomach. She took a breath and a moment to re-evaluate her plan.

Karen Haskell was tied to a chair with a cloth bag over her head, struggling against her bonds in the corner. In the center of the room was a large, wide coffee table, and on this table, Jesse Turner was strapped down with his mouth propped open. Fiona straddled him, holding her slit wrist over his mouth.

“Come on, Cambion! Don’t you feel the power? Work with us. Work with me. We can take Hell, and you’ll never be hunted again!” she implored him, watching him gargle on her blood.

 _Shit_ , Ruby thought. _She’s the demon, not Karen! And I need to know where the Soul Catcher is._

She felt ill witnessing the scene. It was quite a bit more forceful than her methods, but it was essentially what she’d done with Sam years before. It was her work and influence that started him on the path that led him start the Apocalypse. Full circle, and she felt disgusted by it.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she pulled around and readied her weapon, the click drawing the attention of the demon.

“Yesebet,” Ruby said, gun trained for the headshot.

The demon froze at hearing both the gun and her name. “Who... Ruby? But you’re —“

“Dead? Yeah, I hear that a lot. I got better. Much better. Get off him. _Now_.” Ruby indicated away with her head.

“Or you’re going to shoot me? Please, Ruby. You were a demon. You know a gun won’t do shit,” Yesebet scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“This is the Colt, bitch,” the witch replied. “THE Colt. Wanna test me?”

The demon narrowed her eyes, taking a better look at the weapon Ruby had trained on her. “Oh Hell.” She leaned her head back, and immediately black smoke emerged from the teenager’s mouth, swirling around and heading towards the window, shrieking with demonic fury.

“No! Shit!” Ruby called out, trying to reach out with raw magic to pull the demon back, knowing it was no use. Except...

Jesse’s bound had reached out at the wrist, and his eyes went solid black. The smoke was stuck in a swirl where it was, held by unseen power clearly wielded by the Cambion, struggling to free itself and escape. One by one, the ropes binding Jesse to the table snapped, and he sat up and moved to stand, his outstretched hand pulling at the demon.

“No! Don’t kill her!” Ruby urged. “Put her back in the vessel. We need to know where the Soul Catcher is.” _Oh please, oh please, don’t be evil, Jesse. Please don’t let me have been wrong to trust you!_

Time seemed to stand still, frozen in that one eternal moment. Finally Jesse pulled his hand back, and the swirling black smoke returned to the fallen body of Fiona. Yesebet, once again in the teenaged vessel, pulled herself off of the floor.

“No, you’re a Cambion, the weapon of Lucifer! The throne could be yours!” Yesebet railed at him.

“I know what you want,” Jesse told the demon, approaching. “You want the throne to be _yours_ , not to share with anyone, and you don’t care how you do it. You’re the one who sent demons after me while collecting your souls. I’m tired of you all.”

“Where’s the Soul Catcher? And you better release Karen’s contract.” Ruby insisted, moving inward a bit, gun still trained.

Yesebet smirked. “Neither of you can kill me as long as I know where it is.”

“I’m a witch,” Ruby countered. “I can find it. Magic always leaves traces. So maybe I should just shoot you. I could also let Jesse here just destroy you bit by bit until there’s nothing left.” She glanced to the Cambion. “Whatcha think?”

“It sounds fun,” Jesse said darkly. “I could just eat her. Absorb her power.”

Ruby didn’t want to entertain the thought that his words could be more than a bluff. “You could. I’d like to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone consume a demon.”

The demon looked from one to the other, listening to their banter with an increasing look of desperation. “I gave you blood. You already _feel_ like one of us,” she told Jesse.

“I will _never_ be one of you. Two hunters and an angel came into my life when I was a child, and they told me I had a choice. I could be better than what my demon mother made me,” the Cambion snarled. “Now release the woman.”

Yesebet snarled, and then her eyes shifted red. There was an audible popping sound when she snapped her fingers. “Done. And the others we didn’t claim. Happy?”

“The Soul Catcher, asshole,” Ruby repeated. “We want that, too. You give us that, we won’t kill you.”

Yesebet looked from one hunter to the other. “What sort of guarantee will you give me?”

“You don’t get one. You get to gamble on that worthless broken life of yours,” Ruby replied. “How much is the slim chance we let you live worth to you? You wanna play in the Big Leagues, you gotta ante up.”

“You heard the pretty lady,” Jesse said, taking a menacing step towards the captured demon. “Nowhere to run.”

Yesebet shuddered, and finally she reached into her hoodie and produced a small crystal cluster. It was about the size of her fist and glowed fuchsia, resonating with the souls already within it.

“How did you learn to make that?” Ruby asked her. “I’ve never heard of that before.”

“The ‘Queen’ did,” Yesebet snarled, disgust clear in her face. “More that she made it and gave it to me, told me to collect some ghosts that escaped Hell. I claimed them, and then I went about claiming more. Damn it! That throne should be _mine_.”

“Give the crystal to Ruby,” Jesse commanded. “Don’t make me make you do it. You know I damn well can.” He took another step forward and merely closed his fist, causing the demon to curl in at her midsection.

“Fine, fine! Take it! Shit!” The demon extended the crystal towards Ruby, who made her way forward and took it.

“This is... _wow_ ,” Ruby said, feeling the power of the souls trapped inside the Soul Catcher. It was tempting, so tempting to reach in and harness that raw energy, but instead she set it on the console next to the wall. She ran her finger across it and mumbled “ _Nullus motus_ ” to prevent it from being moved until she was ready for it.

“So what are we doing with her, Ruby?” Jesse asked, deferring to her judgment.

The former demon looked thoughtful, considering. “I did say we weren’t going to kill her. I could have been lying. Can you really eat demons?”

“More like absorb demonic essence to fuel my power. Blood will do it, but ugh,” Jesse told her. “I feel gross, like I ate something from the bottom of a trash can.”

“‘Ugh’ is right,” Ruby agreed heartily. Feeling that her Cambion partner had a solid grip on Yesebet, she holstered the Colt and reached to hold her pendant.

 _Rowena, I’m pretty sure you can hear me. We nabbed your stray and souls duped into signing contracts. What do I do?_ There’d been no instructions with the pendant, but its use had been almost instinctive. What did she have to do, open a portal to Hell with it?

And then it hit her. Ruby knew what to do.

“Look,” Yesebet began, attempting to bargain. “You two let me go, and none of you hear from me again. Ever.”

“You know,” Ruby said, extending her hand. “I don’t think anyone will ever hear from you again.” The violet of her magic flowed from her fingertips, taking on a redder hue as it extended towards the demon who tried futilely to back away from it.

“No! Don’t send me back! Don’t send me to her! You don’t know what she’ll do to me!” Yesebet wailed, but it was too late. The tendrils circled around her and settled into a circle on the ground at her feet. The lines of power reached into her gaping mouth, pulling the demonic smoke out of the teenaged vessel again, dragging it into the center of the circle, leaving the girl to fall to the ground. Ruby took the Soul Catcher next, releasing it from the spell, and placed in the circle. That, too, vanished, this time taking the circle with it.

Jesse visibly relaxed, but after a of realization, he started shaking, heaving, and he ran off in the direction of the bathroom to vomit the gore he’d been forced to imbibe. Ruby threw a sympathetic glance at his back, positive that his detox was going to be _terrible_. She hoped it wasn’t. With a shake of her head, she went to take the bag off of Karen’s head and untie her.

“Where’s my Fiona? There was a demon. I tried to keep her away from you, but she wouldn’t let me!” Karen sobbed. “Oh, my girl!” With another loud sob, she pushed past Ruby to go to where her daughter lay on the floor. “Did that demon kill her? My Fiona, no.” The woman bent over the teen girl, sobbing into her hair, and then she paused. “Her heart’s beating.”

Ruby was at their side in an instant, urging Karen to let her inspect the girl. “I might be able to help. Please, give me some room. Come on, Karen, _move_!” With impatience, she shoved the mother off with a little bit of force, enough to shock her into compliance.

Once Karen sat a few feet away in stunned silence, Ruby summoned a spell she’d only ever performed once in her previous human life, and never again as a demon. It was a spell of healing, one that wasn’t in her nature to perform before, but damn it, it damn well would be in her nature today! She fell into a trance, muttering the words in Aramaic, and pushed her energy into it. There was no way for her to tell how much time passed; it was really meaningless to her as long as it worked.

Ruby felt light, like she was floating, and she could almost see a light behind her eyes, blurry faces of people she knew in another life, another time. She saw a car on an open road, an older man in a trucker cap, a mother and daughter bartending, and then, as if pushing her back, she heard a gruff but gentle voice telling her “No, not yet.”

“Ruby! Snap out of it! She’s okay!” Jesse cried, shaking her back to consciousness. “You did it. She’s healed. You can stop now.”

The witch pulled back the flow of magic, reaching for what she could to restore her own reserves. The healing used a lot, but if the girl lived, then she was happy. Her eyes opened slowly, and soon the blurry visions of another world gave way to her present reality. Karen was holding her daughter, the two crying but healthy and safe. Jesse had stopped shaking her when he saw that Ruby was back in the land of the living.

“Oh. Good. I need a nap,” the witch said, and she promptly fainted.

She wasn’t out very long, just long enough for her body to reabsorb some of the ambient magic in the room. Of course, that much heavy magic use after so long of not flexing those particular muscles left her body sore and exhausted, but the thirty minutes she was out was enough. Ruby woke up on the couch, listening to the voices before she even decided to open her eyes.

“So that’s what’s going on. Demons, angels, monsters. All real. And I’m so sorry you got caught up in this mess,” Jesse concluded.

“That’s... yeah. I still feel dirty in my mind, like right after sweeping out cobwebs only to find dead spiders,” Fiona said.

“You’re going to feel that way for a long time,” Ruby said, finally sitting up wearily. “You might _never_ feel clean, but there’s things you can do. Bathe in water with Epsom salts, drinking holy water. That can help,” she said.

“Are you okay?” Karen asked. “After what you did for us, saving Fi like that, I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Coffee would be a nice start, and maybe some Vicodin,” the witch joked. “Or just acetaminophen if you have it.”

“Yeah, I’ll get on it,” the mother said, getting up to do that.

“Hey, he called you Ruby. So you’re not Agent Roberta Berens then, right?” Fiona asked, and when Ruby nodded, she continued. “Mom and I are gonna get tatted like the one you have, and Jesse here told us how to protect ourselves. I wanna do what you do, though.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, kiddo, at least not yet. People don’t live long in this life.” Her thoughts went back to Dean, with the vision Jack showed her of the vampire shoving him onto a twelve inch rebar hook. The shudder hit her before she could catch it. “And then you leave behind the people who love you to live on without you.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, life is short anyway,” Fiona countered. “I was practically dead there, and I’m not a hunter like you. Those guys the demons possessed, what were they doing before that?”

“I burned them, by the way,” Jesse said. “You’re welcome.”

“Thanks,” Ruby said blandly, automatically.

“But like,” Fiona continued, heedless of Jesse’s interruption, “I could get hit by a truck stepping out on the sidewalk. Mom could get electrocuted in the kitchen making your coffee. I saw my dad, you know, before you brought me back. He was there, and he said he loved me, and then I was back here with you holding me.” She started crying, tears streaming and cheeks flushed.

Ruby looked the girl over, and then extended an arm. Fiona came close, and the two hugged each other tightly, sharing that one commonality.

“You’re right, kid,” she told the girl, stroking her hair gently. “Life is short, and it’s unfair. No matter how much time we have on this earth, it’s not enough.” Ruby pulled away, bringing her eye to eye with Fiona. “This isn’t some hokey ‘Come to Jesus’ bullshit. Heaven is _real_. So is Hell. Death is not an ending. You take your life, and you do the best with it in the time you have. I won’t stop you if you want to hunt, but I’ll tell you to do something different. You don’t have to kill demons to make a difference in the world.”

Fiona leaned back, not noticing that her mother had returned with the requested beverage. “What about if I’d died?” she asked in a small voice.

“Then you’d have still have been the sunshine in your mother’s life. You’d have done something good, no matter how small,” Ruby answered honestly. She thought again of Dean, and it dawned on her why he could let go. He’d done good with the short time he had in life. Maybe he wanted more time, but he left satisfied that he’d done something to make it better. Now she understood why Sam could let him go.

 _Oh, Sammy, I’m so sorry,_ Ruby thought. She cleared her throat, thanking Karen for the cup of coffee and medicine. She gulped down the pills and the coffee while Jesse answered a few more question, heedless of the heat.

“So did Jesse tell you about salt and all of that?” She asked aloud, drinking more of the precious hot beverage.

“Yeah, and drew me a devil’s trap to put under the front rug,” Karen replied, going to sit next to her daughter.

“Good. Look, here’s my real number and my email. I’ll send you more info to help you protect yourselves, and Fiona, remember what I said.” Ruby finished off the coffee in another two gulps much to Karen’s amazement. “Look for other ways you can help.” She stood up, nodding to Jesse. “Karen, thank you for the coffee.

“Yeah, we should let you get to it,” Jesse said awkwardly. “Thank you, Ruby.”

After a few more words of farewell and thanks, Ruby had Jesse in the passenger seat of The Boss. Neither said anything for a long while, mostly because Ruby was trying to focus on the road. When she pulled into the hotel parking lot, she wordlessly invited Jesse to her room.

“Look,” she said, shoving off her jacket and going to put the Colt away. “I don’t care if you eat or absorb demons or whatever it is you do to them to keep your power. Just watch your back. I mean it. If you — you need a friend or a partner on a hunt, or if you’re in deep shit, call me. Text me.”

 _This being social thing might not be so bad_ , she thought to herself. “Let’s rest up tonight,” she continued, “and tomorrow I’ll treat us breakfast.” She looked Jesse over and gave him a tired smile.

“I did good?” he asked. “I should have given you some more warning.

“You did really good,” Ruby told him, and she went to see him to the door. “Good night.”


	10. Ruby Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Don't question why she needs to be so free  
>  She'll tell you it's the only way to be  
> She just can't be chained  
> To a life where nothing's gained  
> Or nothing's lost, at such a cost_
> 
> Ruby Tuesday - Rolling Stones

It had been a long drive back home, but Ruby took the scenic route, going to stay in small towns along the way, do some hiking, and get to see the world she was trying to protect. Over the few weeks, she took some time to handle a few quick hunts, taking down a couple of vampire nests, a skinwalker named Lucky who actually helped her catch a couple of other skinwalkers who were kidnapping and turning frat boys, and a Rawhead that’d taken up residence in the basement of an orphanage. The last one was really disturbing to her; these children were so scared and afraid no one would love them, and to have a creature only adding to their fear, causing them harm — killing him was a _pleasure_.

Rowena had contacted her again, thanking the hunter for tying up her loose ends in Biloxi. The Queen assured Ruby that Yesebet was being “appropriately handled” for her transgression and that the souls claimed were being evaluated for an appropriate punishment for not valuing their own souls as they should. They couldn’t go to Heaven, Rowena explained, but she had an appropriate level of Hell for them to reside in, existing in mundanity for their eternity (“ _I took some inspiration from Fergus, you could say._ ”), which Ruby found appropriate.

This week on a snowy Tuesday, she took the day to mull about the apartment and do as she pleased. It was a brain-break for her, she told herself, and a day of making sure her mental state was as healthy as it could be for having regular nightmares about Hell. Ruby shook that thought off. For once, her sleep last night was dreamless, though there seemed to be something at the edge of her memory that she couldn’t place. The beige-pink chair near the fire had become a favorite for her to curl into, and so she wore soft long fleece leggings, a tank top with no bra, and an oversized baggy sweater. On a whim, she’d picked up thick fuzzy socks at her last stop home the other day, and she was glad she did. It was toasty, cozy, and warm in her home.

Ruby reached out to pick up a book she’d meant to read, and when she opened it, a legal envelope fell out. Written in Sam’s familiar handwriting was “Don’t read until 1 month passes” across the envelope. Surprise touched her features briefly, having forgotten it after tucking it into the book for safekeeping. This gave way to a warm smile, though there was apprehension for what she might read inside.

With careful fingers, she peeled the bit of transparent tape that held the envelope closed, and she fished out the contents. As Ruby read the typed letter, she could hear Sam’s voice in her head, speaking the words as if he were sitting in front of her.

_Ruby,_

_I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out what to tell you. Thing is, I realized I can hate who you were, but I can’t hate who you are. If I could be forgiven for the mistakes I’ve made, if Dean could be, then you can be, too. I have to believe in second chances._

_I know last night (for me) I told you that Eileen and I quit hunting other than necessary jobs, and that won’t change, but we haven’t cut ourselves off completely from that world. I gave you Garth’s info. He and Bess, their kids, are good friends, but they feel like I do. They want peace, but they do what they can to help those still in the fight. There’s a group of friends we rescued from another universe; text me and I’ll forward you their info. You should definitely reach out to Sheriff Jody Mills. When you text me, I’ll send her a message about you. But all of those people are family, and as Bobby always told us, “Family don’t end in blood.”_

_If you do send that text, I’m going to take it that you’re still out there and trying to redeem yourself. I’m not going to lie. It’s a daunting task, and the fun part is that you never know if you succeeded until you can look at yourself in the mirror and maybe not be proud of who you see, but be satisfied with who you’ve become. I thought about it a lot after Dean died, but he was that. Satisfied. Maybe it’s not the ending he deserved, but what good person deserves death? Living and dying aren’t a matter of a reward. They just_ are _. I can let him go because he’s at peace, and he was satisfied, no matter how damn much it hurts and how much I miss him every second. I want you to know that if I died today, I would be satisfied, too._

_I want that same thing for you, Ruby._

_I told myself that I’d give myself a month before giving you something. You might make a second home of it, but right now, I can’t do it. Not this soon. I don’t want to disturb the memories that live there, the spirit of the place. It’s like passing on the torch makes this all real. In that, though, a while back when Chuck was messing with us, when he’d controlled Eileen’s body to torture me, I remember her telling me that she didn’t know what was real anymore. I do know what’s real, and it’s time to let it be._

_Eileen likes you, by the way. She said that I have a “type”, a smart brunette that can hold her own and give as good as she gets. I guess she’s right, but before her, almost everyone I was with died or had a circumstance that made it not work (or was a demon). Maybe it was because Chuck wrote my story then, I don’t know. Another demon and I talked about finding the one who makes us rethink our life path, to find our Unicorn. She guessed an earlier girlfriend was mine, but I’m positive it wasn’t her, that it’s Eileen._

_If you are truly ready after this month, then I want you to text me with “I’m Ready.” Just like that. You’ll be Family. I’ll give you the last thing I’ve been holding back on to give, and I want you to make the most of it. Make the most of your time. Make the most of yourself. Always keep fighting._

_Your friend (sincerely),_   
_Sam_

Ruby read the letter twice, absorbing every word. How Sam went from being so angry, so focused on vengeance, to becoming this kind, strong, forgiving person was beyond miraculous, she thought. After hearing about the experiences he had since her demonic demise, she had an idea how it’d happen. This was growth and maturity.

She pulled out her phone, checking the last text she had with Sam. Her intent wasn’t to intrude on his life, but Ruby checked in on him a couple of times. Considering the choice carefully, she messaged him.

[I’m Ready.]

Ruby stared at her phone for a solid three minutes, and just as she was telling herself that Sam was probably working or something something, he returned her message. The first thing was a set of coordinates and a photograph of the area, showing a flat patch of dirt where something had been buried.

[Stand at this exact point and cast the attached spell. Make sure you’re facing east when you cast it.] Sam attached a document named “MOLBox.pdf” and continued. [I’m not doing this lightly. It’s a big responsibility.]

[Whatever it is, I’ll do right by you.] She sighed a bit, waiting for an answer. It looked like he was typing, then stopped, and then started again.

[I trust you.] The words hovered on the screen for a moment, and it made Ruby’s heart soar to see it. She was just about to text him back when a new message popped up. [Shit. Eileen is in labor! She was starting, but this is the real deal. GTG, but let me know when you dig!]

[Send her my love, and I hope she has a safe delivery!] Ruby texted back.

[Will do. Be safe.]

Ruby put her phone down, grinning to herself. Eileen had already looked like she was ready to pop at almost eight months, and now she was pretty much right at that nine month average threshold.

 _And now Sam is going to lose his shit and be a happy proud papa_ , she thought. _Castiel, I know you’re looking out, so keep them safe._ The domestic life suited Sam, but she knew that kid was going to grow up being able to take care of himself and protected by two of the best hunters around.

“I’m not going to be surprised if he names that kid Dean,” Ruby said aloud, grinning broadly. For a moment she thought of big brother Dean Winchester, thinking he’d be honored by it, and again there was just that flash from her near-death experience: a familiar car on an open road in the middle of a forest. She blinked hard, wondering why she’d have a vision like that.

Shrugging it off, Ruby grabbed her iPad, entering in the GPS coordinates on an internet map search. It took her to a place about twenty minutes outside of Lebanon, KS, a place that looked like an abandoned factory and warehouse from the aerial view. Something on the view caught her eye, however. The satellite view happened to catch a familiar black car on the road just in front of it. The specific coordinates, however, were in a field borders by a small wooded patch about a couple of kilometers away from the building. When Ruby put in her address to seek directions, it gave her a route that would take around six hours to get there by driving.

“Tomorrow,” she said, glancing towards the snowfall outside. Today was still her self-care day.

The next morning, Ruby was up bright and early to give herself time to pack her travel bag and personal weapons. Before heading out, she took a moment to text Sam.

[Got a baby yet?] she asked.

[No, Eileen is still in labor, but they think she’ll be ready in the next hour. They induced,] was Sam’s reply.

[Damn,] Ruby sent, shaking her head. [Your lady is a trooper. Sending good vibes your way. I’ll come around bearing gifts soon.]

[Appreciate it. Be careful, and text me when you’ve opened the package.] There was a pause with a notification that Sam was typing again. [This is a big thing, okay? I don’t want to regret this.]

The ex-demon let out a sigh. She knew trust was a huge thing to ask from Sam, even with their understanding. [I won’t betray you, Sam, or Dean’s memory. I made my promise to a higher power first, remember?]

[Yeah, I remember.] She was sure she could hear the resigned sigh in Sam’s voice through the text. [Be good,] he added.

[Well, you know, if you can’t be good, you can be good at what you’re doing. ;) ] Ruby hoped he’d appreciate the joke.

[LOL. Okay, just nerves high because of Eileen and the baby. TTYL.] Sam was clearly preoccupied, but at least he got the joke.

Ruby put away her phone, grabbed her stuff, and headed out, enjoying the time on the road to clear her head. The drive to Lebanon took a little longer than her map suggested due to the snow, but at least the roads were clear enough that her Mustang didn’t need tire chains. She took advantage of a few rest areas, but as she got closer, she knew all she’d been doing was stalling, putting off the inevitable.

It was still early afternoon when Ruby made it to Lebanon, a tiny town of under 250 people. She continued around until she found the place in the map view from last night, and parked her Mustang in front of an abandoned factory, right in front of what looked like a door imbedded in concrete inside of a large concrete sewer pipe. She wondered if this was the place, but then recalled that the specific coordinates were in a field just a couple of kilometers to the side.

“Sam said to face East,” she reminded herself. With a quick check of her weapons, she exited the car, locked it, and headed off to the field in question, taking note of the slight wooded area near it to be sure it matched the map view. It was clearly the right place.

What she saw in the field, however, was a wide oval of richer grass, as if it had received more nutrient than the grass around it. Maybe it’d been from a fire, Ruby thought, thinking she might not have even noticed it if she hadn’t been examining the area. There were a few pointed rocks in front of it, and to the average eye, they might be random, but she noted that they were aimed in cardinal directions.

Ruby approached what was the central point between the rocks. She reviewed the spell again, and began the incantation.

_“Aperi terram.  
_ _Revelare secretum.  
_ _Accipio officium meum.”_

At the edge of the oval section of grass, the ground seemed to collapse in on itself, opening up a hole in the earth. The witch moved forward and kneeled there, reaching into the fissure to pull out a burlap-wrapped box. She turned and walked over to a taller concrete fixture with a manhole cover on top, clearly an entrance into the sewer and irrigation systems. Carefully, Ruby untied the bindings on the bag, feeling the spell that masked the box dissipate. Inside was a mahogany box, smooth and plain, were three items: an envelope, a red fountain pen covered in runes, and a smaller box with an interesting symbol on it.

Ruby picked up the envelope and opened it first. It was a contract, one she read over in detail. So this was why she had to say she was “ready” when she texted Sam before, why it was a big responsibility.Sam wouldn’t have left it there if it didn’t serve a purpose, and while she didn’t want to be beholden to something like that, she did owe it to trust Sam in return. Ruby signed it with the enchanted pen, watching her signature burn into the paper.

Once done, she returned the paper to the envelope and tucked it and the pen into her jacket pocket. The other smaller box, she picked up. The lid of the box was engraved with an Aquarian star, a curious thing on its own. With a push of her thumb, she opened the box and slid out the inside cover, revealing an old fashioned steel key with the same Aquarian star engraved in lighter metal in the bow of the key. Ruby took it in hand and put the box back together, then grabbed the other box and took them to her car. The big one went into her trunk, but she kept the smaller box in her pocket.

Ruby heard footsteps in the gravel behind her, and she turned around with her gun drawn. A few meters away was a Caucasian man dressed casually in jeans, boots, a fitted black sweater, and a black padded leather jacket. He was looked a little scruffy, like he hadn’t shaved in a few days, beard matching the golden brown of hair. It was a little longer on top, leaving a little bit to fall over the intense stare of his blue yes.

“How long have you been there? What do you want?” Ruby demanded.

The man held up his hand placatingly. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m looking for my brothers. Half-brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester. My name is Adam Milligan.”


	11. Gone Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Maybe in another life  
>  I could find you there  
> Pulled away before your time  
> I can't deal it's so unfair  
> And it feels  
> And it feels like  
> Heaven's so far away  
> And it feels  
> Yeah it feels like  
> The world has grown cold  
> Now that you've gone away_
> 
> Gone Away - The Offspring

“Adam _who_? _You’re_ Sam and Dean’s brother?” Ruby blurted out.

“You know them then? Look, I know it sounds nuts, but I’m not lying. I’m John Winchester’s son. How do you know them?” Taking a risk, Adam lowered his hands. “Look, can we just talk without firearms?”

“Are _you_ armed?” Ruby retorted.

Adam snorted. “Duh. I’m not here to kill pretty ladies who can handle themselves.”

“I’m going to regret this,” the former demon muttered to herself, and she lowered her gun, returning it to her holster inside her jacket. Sam told her about Adam, but she wasn’t aware he’d been brought back to life with the others restored by Jack. “Okay, Adam, right? I’m Ruby.”

“Ruby? Why does that name sound familiar?” the handsome fellow asked, walking up to greet her properly. “I remember Sam and Dean mentioning that name.” He rubbed his gloved hands together. “I tried to open the door, but it’s locked.”

“I have a feeling it’s been like that for a while,” Ruby said. “And yeah, it’s cold out here, so let’s see if this key works. You better not be playing me.” She headed down the short stairs and produced the key, turning it in the lock. To her relief, it opened. She waited a few moments for Adam to grab the motorcycle he’d ridden in on to park next to The Boss.

It was dark inside as the place had no windows. She took a small flashlight from another pocket and was happy to see that Adam produced one of his own. Carefully, Ruby descended down a curved ironwork staircase, stopping when she found a breaker box on the wall at the foot. Inside were two large switches which she flipped, bringing the place to life with the echoes of lights that came to life. What’s more, Ruby could feel magic built into the fabric of the place.

“It’s just like I remember,” Adam said, coming down the stairs. “The library is through that archway, and the kitchen is down those stairs. Bedrooms are this way.”

“I’ll take that as proof,” Ruby said. “Yeah, Sam told me about you, but he didn’t know if you were alive or not. It’d do him good to hear from you.”

“Maybe,” Adam replied, walking off into the library.

Ruby followed him, taking in the mid-century aesthetic of the place, until she froze, seeing something etched into the fine wooden table there on a table in the library.

“DW. SW. MW. Castiel. Jack.” She read the initials aloud, reaching to trace the letter. “This was their home. This was the place Sam was reluctant to let me into. That’s why I had to sign a contract to accept a position in this Men of Letters thing.”

“And I’m a Legacy, or something,” Adam said, moving to stand around the other end to look at the initials and names on the table. “You keep bringing up Sam. What about Dean? And how did you know them?”

Ruby pulled out a chair and sat down, her fingers going back to trace the letters again reverently.

“I was the demon that guided Sam into starting the Apocalypse,” she began in a strained voice, and finally looked across the table when Adam sat across from her.

“You _were_ ,” he said. “Meaning you aren’t anymore?”

“No, I’m _not_.” Ruby narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not freaking out.”

“Let’s see. I was murdered by ghouls, brought back to life by an asshole angel, said yes to Michael, got called ‘Assbutt’ by Castiel, got locked in Lucifer’s Cage by Sam _with_ Sam, got out, stayed possessed, got banished to who knows where when everyone else on Earth did, and then randomly found myself in Nebraska. Why Nebraska? I don’t know,” Adam said, going through every event with exasperation in his voice. “So a former demon after all of that shit isn’t that big of a deal to me. Now where are my brothers?”

Ruby shook her head. “Dean died almost a year and a half ago. Vampires. Sam got married. His wife was in labor as of this morning.”

The younger brother was floored by this. “I came back once I had my head wrapped around things. The place was locked up then. No one was answering phones, and I didn’t know any of their allies. I kept coming by here hoping that someone would come back, but no one did. I said this was the last time I was going to try.” His head lowered, looking at his hands on the table.

“You ok?” Ruby asked, concerned.

“I don’t know,” Adam replied honestly. “I was never the whole ‘family no matter what’ kind of guy, but the last time I saw Dean and Sam, Dean apologized to me for leaving me in Hell, and...” He trailed off, reaching for his words. “I knew logically there was no way to rescue me, but then Sam was pulled out. I saw his soul left behind, though, and then it took Death to bring that back. Michael and I reached an agreement, even started getting along. He’d listen to me.” He let out a shaky laugh. “He even took me to get burgers and cake.”

“Sounds like a standup kind of archangel,” Ruby replied with a roll of her eyes, earning her a light snort from Adam. “But I mean, we’ve both had our fair share of shit, huh?”

“You’re telling me,” Adam agreed. “But Dean, though. If it was when you say it was, he didn’t get to enjoy a lot of his freedom from Chuck.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, he didn’t. And he deserved better than that.”

The younger brother huffed. “Since when do we get what we deserve?” he asked. “Funny. That’s the last thing I said to Dean before I left, well, other than wishing him luck. I didn’t think it’d be prophetic. Dean — _damn_. I’m sorry I didn’t get to tell him goodbye properly.”

“Sam did,” the witch told him, this time reaching across the table to grab his hand. “Hey. He wasn’t alone. And I mean, you and I just met, but I know a thing about grief. Do what you need to do. Feel what you feel.”

Adam, for his part, just gripped Ruby’s hand, nodding. “I didn’t know him and Sam that well, but I mean, they put their asses on the line for me. Dean would have torn Heaven apart to come get me. And I knew they’d have tried to get me out of Hell if they could. So... yeah.” He squeezed Ruby’s hand and released it, going to scrub over his face. “I came back alone. No family. No friends. I’m legally dead. But I remembered that Sam and Dean _tried_. So I thought I’d try, too. Adam Milligan did die years ago. I need to find out who took his place.”

Ruby gave him a sympathetic smile. “You’re Adam Milligan. Every day there’s a new version of ourselves. It’s evolution.”

“So what’s your story?” Adam asked, moving the subject off of himself. 

“It’s pretty intense, but yours was, too.” With that, the brunette jumped into her story, how she seduced Sam to start the Apocalypse, how she died, how she returned to life. She told him about spending a long night talking to Sam, about meeting Eileen, and about how she went on to try to start her own life.

“And he said that by taking this, by accepting membership into The Men of Letters, that I’m in the weird extended Winchester family,” Ruby said. “I know he doesn’t throw that around lightly — _shit_! I was supposed to text him!”

“Go for it. I’m going to see if there’s anything edible around here that hasn’t gone bad,” Adam told her, standing up. It was clear he needed a few moments to himself.

Ruby nodded, watching Adam walk off, and she turned to her phone.

[Sammy?] she texted.

What answered her was a string of photos of a newborn, pictures with Eileen, pictures with Sam, pictures of all three, and many many photos of baby face and feet and hands. Ruby thought it was cute. She was about to text Sam back when her phone rang instead.

“Congratulations, Papa Sammy!” Ruby said as her greeting when she answered.

There was a breathless laugh on the other end. “Thanks, Ruby,” Sam told her sincerely. “Yeah, he’s right at nine pounds, twenty inches. He’s a fighter, too, like his uncle. I really wish Dean could have been here for this.”

“I know. Me, too,” Ruby said. “But I take it Dean’s also a namesake now, right?”

“Yeah, we named the baby Dean. Eileen was cool with it, even said so before I had a chance to tell the nurse,” he replied. “He’s cute. I’m not at all sorry for bombarding you with pictures.”

The witch laughed aloud at that. “Oh, no, Sam, that’s absolutely fine. Keep the pictures coming. I’m so happy for you and Eileen.”

Sam laughed with her, but his voice sobered a moment later. “So you’re in the Bunker. You signed the agreement?”

“Yeah. Did you think something would happen if someone who wasn’t in that weird secret society didn’t sign?” Ruby inquired.

“Something like that. I had no way of knowing, and the only other people who’d been in there with us were there with us.” Sam let out a sigh. “You’re the first inductee since 1959, Ruby.”

“What an honor,” she replied with a touch of her sarcasm. “And you know, I’m not alone here. A guy was waiting here for someone to show up. You might know him. Name’s Adam.”

There was a pregnant silence on the other line, and then Sam spoke in a voice full of disbelief. “Adam? He’s alive? But I looked... Dean and I did, but we had no way to find him. I kept looking after Dean died.”

“Yeah. And he was trying to get in touch with you. I’ll give him your number so he can call you,” Ruby said. “Two gifts in one day, huh?”

“Yeah, really!” Sam replied, exhaling audibly with the emotion. “But I mean, this is...” He trailed off, switching gears. “Did you look around yet?”

“No, not really,” Ruby replied. “We made it as far as the library, and I had to tell Adam about Dean. He’s wandering around right now to see if there’s anything safe to eat.”

“There’s canned stuff and MREs,” came the reply. “I mean, my intention was to never go back, but in the back of my mind, you know, I thought it might happen. Sometimes some things don’t stay final.” He sighed. “And sometimes they do.”

“Yeah,” Ruby said, her heart tearing for her friend. “So hey, I’ll come back by your way since Lebanon isn’t far. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, Ruby. It’s _more_ than okay. And if Adam wants to come along...” he trailed off.

“Damn right, I’ll bring him with me,” she affirmed. “I’ll duct tape him and stow him in the back seat if I have to.”

“All right,” Sam said, sounding tired but happy. “Well, Eileen is waking up, so I’m gonna let you go. Call when you’re en route.”

“Will do. Bye, Sammy,” Ruby told him.

“Bye, Ruby,” he replied, and he ended the call.

The witch stood, stretching a little bit. As an afterthought, she took a picture of the table, then a selfie, smiling brilliantly, and she sent just the selfie to Sam. The initials, she thought, would be too much. With that, she wandered in the direction of the kitchen, finding Adam in there with a few MREs.

“I figured I’d make us a late lunch. It’s not much, but it should be good,” he said. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not in the least. We can catch up. But let me have your phone a sec. I’m going to give you Sam’s number and nefariously have you text me so you have mine and I have yours,” she said with a mock evil laugh. “Muwahhaha. Mine is an evil laugh.”

Adam cracked a boyish grin at that. “Okay, sure, badass lady.” He watched her as she texted herself from his phone and then replied with Sam’s contact card. “Damn, getting a hot woman’s digits without even trying.”

“Done,” she told him, and though she rolled her eyes, she laughed. “I’m gonna get my wander on. Buzz when soup’s on.”

“Will do,” Adam said, and he returned to trying to make something delicious out of five year old MREs.

Ruby wandered out into a hallway following the string of rooms that seemed to around a curve and stopped with a stairwell. She wandered the length of the hall, taking note of where rooms were, and found that the stairs descended to another set of rooms, presumably for storage.

One of the doors led to room set up with a modern television, a foosball table, two quite dated plaid recliners, a bar counter, and a few shelves. The hanging fixtures were built out of old kegs, and Ruby was positive this was Dean’s Man-cave. Maybe a Dean-Cave. _I can see him calling it that,_ she thought. Her amusement faded as she saw a half-drunk beer, the PlayStation controllers, and an open magazine over on the bar counter. She lifted the edge, not wanting to disturb the room too much, and she saw the title _Busty Asian Beauties_ across the top. _Of course, Dean. Of course._

She headed back upstairs, opening the door to Room 21. Immediately she knew this was Sam’s room by the storage boxes, books, and the contents of the desk. Ruby slid open a drawer that had been left ajar, but its only content was an Oak Park Retirement Living brochure. Maybe she’d ask him about it.

A little more wandering led her to Jack’s room, Room 22. It was an odd combination of what would belong to a young adult, teenager, and young child in one. There were books all across the spectrum of maturity level, a TV with a Blu-Ray player. What stood out to her was a colorful stuffed animal, a Marvelous Marvin the Talking Teddy (its name was scrawled across of it on the bedside table). She knew Jack forced himself to grow after his birth because of Sam, so the odd juxtaposition of contents made a weird kind of sense to her.

Ruby wandered out and rounded the corner to Room 11. This was where she felt her heart skip a long beat. This was Dean’s room. Finding his man-cave (or Dean-Cave maybe, she guessed) was one thing; this was another. Sam had left the room essentially intact, with rifles on display on the walls, a couple of antique erotica magazines, a record player with an impressive collection of classic rock on vinyl, and a partially filled job application left unfinished on the desk. The bed itself was very loosely made, and on the bedside table were two photos: one of a lovely blonde woman holding an infant with a young boy standing next to her, and a more recent photo of Sam, Dean, Castiel, Jack, and that same blonde woman.

“We don’t all stay dead, do we?” Ruby said aloud.

“Until we do,” Adam’s voice sounded from behind. He looked around the room mournfully, looking like something was breaking inside. “I didn’t know him that well, but for the time I knew him, I know he was sincere in what he felt, said what he meant, and when he loved someone, there were no strings attached. It was always about family with him, either blood or found family.”

“Family don’t end in blood,” Ruby quoted. “Sam told me that in a letter, that a wise person told him and Dean that. Seems like another Winchester motto.”

“Yeah,” Adam said, looking over at Dean’s desk. “But it’s too late for me get to know him, to try to be a brother. I don’t have any other friends or family left.”

Ruby gave him an odd look. “You do, and it’s _not_ too late. You have Sam. With him comes Eileen and their newborn, Dean. And it’s like you said, there’s ‘found family’, the ones you choose. I never understood that when I was a demon, or even when I was alive before. I think I understand it now.”

The man’s eyes darted back to Ruby, fixing her with a serious expression. “You’re right. I do. And maybe a new friend?”

“You absolutely have a new friend,” the witch insisted with a delighted smile. She approached and extended her hand to shake. “If you’ll have me.”

“Hell yeah,” Adam said, cracking a grin of his own, and he took her hand to shake, but then with a second thought, he pulled her in for a hug.

Ruby was surprised by it, by the warmth and need in the embrace, and she let her arms slide around to hug Adam back tightly, finding that the shaky deep feeling she had in this place, and not just there, but everywhere she’d been, was grief. The two lingered like that, merely offering and accepting solace, for a long moment, and then Adam withdrew.

“Sorry,” he said awkwardly.

“We needed it,” Ruby said in response. “Nothing wrong with comfort. It was nice.” She reached out to rest a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Come on, let’s let the ghosts sleep. We’ll drink Dean’s beer and eat those MREs, and tomorrow I’ll take you to meet your nephew.”

The witch turned to head out, but Adam spoke.

“Hey, Ruby?” he asked.

“Hm?” She looked over her shoulder.

“I’ve been working on building myself a legit identity. I think I’m going to take Winchester, for Dean and my Dad. Like I said, Adam Milligan’s been dead too long.”

Ruby looked thoughtfully at him, finally grinning. “I think they’d be proud of that, Adam Winchester.”


	12. Time Stand Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Time stand still  
>  I'm not looking back  
> But I want to look around me now  
> Time stands still  
> See more of the people  
> And the places that surround me now  
> Time stands still  
> Freeze this moment  
> A little bit longer  
> Make each sensation  
> A little bit stronger_
> 
> Time Stand Still - Rush

Lebanon wasn’t that far of a drive from Lawrence, only a little over three and a half hours on the route down to take I-70 for the long stretch of the trip. Ruby was surprised that Adam didn’t have a car; he’d ridden a motorcycle and avoided inclement weather as much as possible. It didn’t even take thirty minutes for the two to get Adam’s saddlebags from the hotel and throw them in the Mustang’s trunk next to the presents she’d gotten for little Dean.

 _Oh yeah_ , Ruby thought, _I’m going to spoil that kid all kinds of silly._

While on the road, the Adam told Ruby what he’d been up to since his resurrection. Being free of Michael was very odd for him, but he’d found certain side effect, ones he didn’t care to elaborate on yet. He’d been hunting like his brothers, hoping that it would bring him closer to finding them since he wasn’t having any luck at the Bunker until Ruby’s arrival. One of the things that came with his revival was an Archangel Blade, reasoning that since it had been in Michael’s possession at the time Chuck smote him,that it came back with the rest of him and his clothes.

“And nothing weird going on with you?” Ruby asked. “Like no weird handprints or psychic powers?”

Adam gave her a nervous laugh. “Now that would be revealing my deep dark secrets,” he told her jokingly. “Maybe I’ll let out my intimate details after a few drinks.” He winked at Ruby, and she laughed aloud, forgetting about her question.

They rolled into Lawrence just before noon, and rather than immediately going to knock on Sam’s door, Ruby drove to the first diner that showed up on her Yelp search, a place called the Ladybird Diner. It was a cute place with brick walls inside, wooden tables with classic red vinyl chairs, and a long counter with chromestools with white padding to sit on. Comfortable and inviting, Ruby felt that it’d be a great place to message Sam and have some lunch. Thankfully, the place wasn’t too busy, and they were seated right away.

She and Adam made their orders, and they sat near the window with cups of coffee dressed how they both preferred: his black with a little sugar and hers sweet and creamy. Ruby watched the clouds in her coffee dissolve into a light soft brown for a moment, and then she decided to send a text.

[Hey, baby keeping you up?] she sent. She followed it up with a selfie of herself with Adam in the background.

[You’re in town? Yeah, I’m up. Baby’s asleep right now. Eileen, too,] Sam replied. He sent a picture of himself looking exhausted with Eileen asleep on the couch behind him.

[Oh, wow. Well, we’re having lunch. Are you at all up to company?] Ruby texted. She turned her phone around to show Adam the picture.

“Damn, remind me not to be a dad any time soon,” he joked. “Nah, I’m happy for him, but wow.”

“Right?” Ruby agreed, and she looked back at her phone. “Parenthood is seriously work.”

[No, come on over. I’m glad you brought Adam and didn’t surprise me with him. Too much excitement already!] Sam finally replied.

[I get it. Okay, go rest for a bit. I’ll text before we head over.] With that, Ruby put her phone away, seeing the server was on his way over.

Ruby was taken aback by the young man. He could have been a model! He was about the same age as Jesse, early to mid-twenties, and stood about 5’9” with a slender, muscular build and beautiful olive skin. When he approached, he momentarily met her eye to eye, his reflecting a stunning green.

“Here’s your order,” he said pleasantly. “Hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

“Oh, not long,” Ruby read his name tag, “Jacob? No, not long at all.”

Jacob passed out the dishes, mumbling a thanks when Adam moved over the condiments to make room. “Visiting from out of town?”

“Yeah, just visiting a friend. His wife just had a baby, so we came to meet the new little person,” Ruby said, being conversational.

“That’s cool! I just moved here myself. Well, congrats to your friend. Anything else I can get for you two?” he asked.

“I think that’ll do it,” Adam said, speaking up. “But thanks.”

“Any time,” Jacob said pleasantly, heading off to take care of other tables.

“He’s getting a good tip,” Adam said teasingly. “But don’t you think he’s too young for you?”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Everyone is too young for me,” she pointed out. “But no, he’s just really striking, that’s all. I can think someone’s pretty without going _there_ , you know.”

“I know, I’m giving you shit,” her companion said with a crooked grin that painfully reminded Ruby of Dean. “But I mean, in all seriousness, I gotta thank you for the ride and not being freaked out. I guess it would take a lot for _you_ to be freaked out.”

The witch snorted. “Trust me, that’s an understatement. But you’re welcome. It’s nice having someone to talk to that I have thing in common with that I don’t have awkwardness with.”

“Well, I mean, you did tell me about the history you have with Sam. I can see being awkward with him,” Adam told her sympathetically. “But it says something about him that he could accept your friendship. You came here with no friends.”

“This is very true,” Ruby agreed. “If not for Jack, I don’t know that I’d have gone to Sam at all. I’d be content to let him live his apple pie life. I’ve always known it’s what he truly wanted, to stop hunting and just _live_. I was surprised, though. Surprised at his reaction, surprised at myself, I guess.” She dug into her eggs over medium, mixing the yolks into her grits. “Sam Winchester deserves his happiness.”

The waiter approached as Ruby finished her statement, holding a coffee pitcher. “More caffeine?” he asked pleasantly.

“Yeah, thanks, Jacob,” the witch told him with a genuine smile. “You said you’re new here? Do you know where we’d find out if there’s any excitement in town?”

“Well, about a month’s worth of being new here,” Jacob replied sheepishly. “You might want to hit up the town’s Twitter account or website, check out what’s going on this month. I can tell you, though, not a lot of excitement goes on here,” he told her.

“I think I will, thanks,” Ruby told him, going to dress her coffee back up the way she liked. “Who knows, sometimes adventure is where you least expect it.” She shrugged.

“This is very true,” Jacob replied with a good-natured grin. “I haven’t been looking too hard, though. I’m finishing up my degree this semester.”

“Yeah? Ruby asked. “What in?”

“Mortuary science,” he replied sincerely, his expression going introspective for a moment. “The dead don’t judge you, but sometimes they tell stories.”

“That’s a fair point,” Adam said, though he sent a concerned look Jacob’s way. He was about to say something, but the server spoke back up.

“Anyway, I have the bill when you two are ready. Just wave.” Jacob gave the two a nod of his head and turned to head back towards the counter a few feet away.

“Flirt,” Adam told Ruby, clearly teasing. “Come on, don’t give me that look. I told you, I’m ribbing you.”

She rolled her eyes again and let out a snort. “I thought someone new to the town might also have been trying to see what could be fun. I don’t know how long we’ll be here, you know. Sam’s a studious kind, but taking care of babies isn’t like hunting. He may still be fumbling.”

Adam gave her an odd look. “Did you ever have kids?” He paused a beat. “I mean, sorry if that’s too personal.”

Ruby let out a long sigh, and she lowered her voice. “I had a daughter. I was supposed to marry this pig farmer, right? Problem was is that I’d already had this thing with the the local priest’s son. His name was Fiorvarante, but we all called him Fio. He had curly hair, dark eyes, smooth olive skin. I guess Jacob there made me think of him, except the eyes.” Her eyes closed for a moment in memory, but she opened them again, blinking hard. “We knew nothing of real contraception in those days, so yeah, a few stolen moments in a storeroom led to my little adorable ‘oops’. My father locked me away while she was nursing, and when it was safe to wean her, he took my little girl. He... he sold her. Sold her to some aristocrat who wanted a daughter. I never saw her again.” She drank down her coffee, wishing whiskey was in it.

“Shit,” came the response. “And then you sold your soul?” Adam asked, expression pained. “After all that, I can’t really blame you.”

“Yeah. The pig farmer was the ultimate insult, the real catalyst,” she told him, dabbing her eyes. Tucking back into her brunch, Ruby did her best to put the painful memory behind her. “I - I’ve never told anyone any of that before,” she admitted.

Her companion looked taken aback. “But you told me.”

Ruby shrugged. “You’re easy to talk to. You’re... I don’t know. Maybe it’s the Winchester in you. You boys have a way with getting to people.” She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “Eat up. Maybe we’ll kill a little time driving around to give the other Winchesters some time to relax.”

“Right, good call,” Adam said, tucking back into his burger and onion rings. He clearly took the hint. “I want dessert, by the way. Did you see that carrot cake they had on the counter?”

“So cake is your thing, huh?” Ruby teased. “I could go for cake after my breakfast food. It’s the essence of adulthood, to eat whatever you want, whenever you want.”

“Cake it is,” Adam told her, the smirk returning. For just a moment, something softened in his expression, also reflecting a touch of sadness. “Usually when I try to have cake, I get interrupted.”

“I will stab someone with my spoon if they come between you and cake today,” the former demon insisted, flashing a wicked grin.

Adam laughed outright at that. “I may hold you to that!”

The two finished their meals, and they waved Jacob over to request a slice of the carrot cake they’d seen on the counter. He accommodated, bringing them each a tall slice and a refill of coffee.

“This is the best cake,” Jacob told them. “No raisins!” He left the bill on the table for them for when they were ready.

Ruby took a bite, and she sighed. “Oh yeah, the best.”

Her companion said nothing other than a groan of pleasure, eyes closed as he finally got to enjoy his cake with no distractions.

When they were done, Ruby paid cash for their meal, leaving a $100 tip for Jacob for being so friendly with a note that she hoped he does well in his classes.

“Why don’t you text Sam for me? I put his number in your phone yesterday,” she requested of Adam.

“Yes, ma’am!” he replied teasingly, giving her a mock salute.

While Ruby drove them through Lawrence in her Mustang, Adam played messenger by texting Sam. He said that his brother asked for about twenty minutes as the baby was just waking up and was cranky.

“Babies waking up are usually cranky. Poopy diapers aren’t fun,” she said. “I think by the time we get there, it’ll be twenty minutes, so I’ll head over that way now.” She did, however, make a stop at a BP for some snacks and gas. The fill-up didn’t take too long, and overall they made it to Sam’s just a little after the requested twenty minutes.

Sam opened the door as they drove up, waiting for them to get out of the car. Ruby went up immediately for a hug.

“Congratulations, Sam. Hold on, I have presents,” she told him, and moved off to the Mustang to get those things from the trunk, partly to let the brothers have a moment. She could still hear from where she stood. It’s not eavesdropping if you’re already there, is it?

“Hey,” Adam said, standing there awkwardly a few feet away from his older brother.

“Hey, yourself,” Sam said. “We tried to find you. Dean and I looked, but you had no phone, and, well, we had nothing to go on.”

“I didn’t come back at that lake,” Adam said. “I came back in Red Cloud, Nebraska. I’ll tell you the rest later, but some credit card fraud, a stolen car, and taking down a few feral werewolves got me going. I came back to the Bunker. It was closed, locked tight.”

The middle Winchester frowned at that, looking guilty. “I couldn’t stay there, not after Dean. If I’d have gone back...”

“No one’s blaming you,” Adam interjected. “You and I - we missed each other. That’s all.” He let out a sigh. “Ruby told me about Dean. I’m - Shit, Sam, I’m so sorry.” With that, Adam crossed the distance to give his once estranged brother a tight hug.

Sam held out his arms, hesitating, and then he wrapped them around the shorter man, returning the comforting fraternal embrace. “Me, too, Adam.” He stood back, holding his brother at arm’s length. “Welcome back to the family.”


	13. Teach Your Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And you, of tender years,  
>  Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,  
> And so please help them with your youth,  
> They seek the truth before they can die._
> 
> Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

Ruby stood back and watched the brothers’ reunion quietly, not wanting to intrude on their moment. The two said a few things she couldn’t hear and then hugged again. After a moment, Adam turned around and waved her over, so she closed the trunk and brought the gift bag with her. She hadn’t known what to expect of their reunion since Sam only told her a little bit in somewhat detached terms, and Adam seemed to be keeping some of his ordeal private. Even so, the two brothers together made her heart thud in her chest, and a bit of memory rose unbidden.

_“Rubina, you must escape,” Luzio said. “I know your pain. I know you hate father.”_

_“He took my Isabella,” Rubina snarled, going to change out of her blood-soaked clothing. “And a pig farmer? No, I am done, brother. I will take back everything stolen from me.” She pulled her hair back, going to don the clothes her brother cast off after his last growth. “You know what he had in mind for you!”_

_“I know,” Luzio said softly. “Then take the money intended for your dowry. I will tell the guard that you were kidnapped, show them your bloody clothes, and that the intruders killed our father.” He paused. “If they find you, you know you will be tried as a witch.”_

_“Then I will give them reason to call me one,” Rubina spat, though her expression softened. “Be well, Luzio. Leaving you is one regret I will carry forever.”_

_“My dearest sister. Don’t do anything foolish. I will mourn you every moment until God takes me to his side,” the older man told her, tears in his eyes. She didn’t know that this would be the last time she would ever see her brother alive._

Ruby blinked hard, realizing the other two were looking at her with curiosity. She smiled and shook her head to reassure them. “Just taking in the sight of you two, that’s all. I swear it’s a Kodak Moment. So let’s see that baby!”

“Right,” Sam said, not entirely convinced, but he seemed content to let it be for the moment. Turning to the house, he let the two in first and followed them in, closing the door behind him. He couldn’t help but laugh, however, when Miracle rounded the corner and affectionally pounced Ruby enough to send her staggering back into Adam.

“Gotcha!” Adam said, grinning. He helped Ruby back upright with a lingering hand on her back until she had her balance.

“Thanks,” she told Adam, but she still had a happy dog trying to lick her face. “Okay, okay, boy, I missed you, too!” She stopped to give the dog a hug, and then moved back to use a little hand sanitizer before she (hopefully) got to hold the baby. As she did so, she let Adam be Miracle’s next target, sniffing at this new person.

“Come on, Eileen’s in the living room,” Sam said with a grin. “Miracle, down. Let them get in the house, ok?” He moved around to lead the way into the living room.

Just as Sam said, Eileen was in there, sitting in a soft cushioned rocking chair. The chair itself was a little more square than the classic style, sporting a brown seat cushion and a tall back pillow in a cream white decorated with a red and brown chimayo pattern. It was a little big for the new mother, but she looked comfortable there dressed in her warm green flannel robe with the sweet little one in her arms.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?” Ruby said and signed, coming over to give Eileen’s shoulder a squeeze. “Healing up ok?”

“Tired, sore, but yes, I’m healing,” Eileen replied aloud, giving Ruby a friendly smile. “Do you want to hold him?”

“Hell yeah, I do,” the witch said with a broad grin, and she carefully took the little boy in her arms. She looked down at him, feeling like her heart would burst at his cute little yawn. She let him take one of her fingers in his tiny hand. He looks so much like Sam, Ruby thought, looking at his distinct nose and the set of his eyes. No, there’s Eileen. Dean’s brow was set like Eileen’s, and he had her mouth.

Ruby hardly paid attention to what went on around her, only peripherally aware that Sam was introducing his brother to his wife and that the two exchanged greetings. It wasn’t until Adam touched her arm that Ruby looked up from the baby.

“We lost you for a bit,” he told her with a smirk. “Maternal instincts kicking in?”

Ruby gave him an uncharacteristic shy smile. “Something like that. Old memories.” She gave Adam a meaningful look; she wasn’t ready to tell anyone else yet.

“Yeah,” Adam said, immediately understanding.

“And now you get to hold your nephew, and no arguing,” Sam insisted, reaching for the baby to tenderly place him in Adam’s arms. He laughed aloud at his brother’s horrified, frightened expression. “He’s a baby, not a werewolf. Just be gentle.”

“Gentle. Right. He’s...” Adam trailed off, looking at the tine person in his arms. “So _little_. And he has your nose, Sam.”

Sam rolled his eyes and huffed. “You aren’t the first person to say that.” He translated by signing to Eileen, who hadn’t seen Adam’s lips to read. Her laughter rang out, and she covered her mouth to keep from further startling her child.

“I said the same thing!” Eileen told him, and this time Ruby joined in on the laughter. Adam, however, was still too petrified to do anything other than hold little Dean as if the child were made of fine fragile porcelain.

“Here,” Eileen said. “I’ll take him back so you can breathe again, Adam.” She stood and carefully retrieved her child so she could rock him back to sleep. Adam blushed at the giggle the new mother made when he quite visibly relaxed.

“This reminds me,” Ruby said. “I have presents. I know the baby’s needs are simple, so I have a few other things for you two,” she told the parents. She handed the bag to Sam and explained what the items were as he unpacked them.

There were bottles of a healing rub and wound salve to help with the pains of motherhood for Eileen. Ruby well remembered the torn nether areas, the muscle soreness, the oddities in the joints, the tender breasts, and what came with having the organs in the body relocate to their proper locations after having been shoved up to the top of her ribcage by the ever-growing child. Eileen was especially appreciative.

“There’s some soft blankets, a weighted blanket, too, for any of you,” Ruby told them. “There’s a pendant, an amulet, meant to protect Dean when he’s old enough to be out in the world on his own. It’ll hide him from demons and let him detect them. I based it off of this one Rowena gave me. I can’t really do the same for angels. I’m sure you know, but Enochian magic is pretty much what it takes to do that in any meaningful way, and I’m not burning my soul up for that.”

Adam looked like he was about to say something, and then he shut his mouth. Ruby noticed and gave him a questioning look, but he merely shook his head. “Hey, mind if I use the restroom?” he asked Sam instead.

“Nah, let me show you where it is,” Sam replied, leading his brother off to the hallway. “On the right there.”

“Thanks,” Adam replied, walking off.

Sam returned and sat down. “Something seems a little off.”

“I had that impression, but I mean, this is a _lot_. He was ready to give up on you,” Ruby told him. She and Sam both made sure to face Eileen enough that she could see their lips, even though the both signed to include her. “We found the rooms. We found Dean’s room. Adam took it pretty hard. I think he has some regrets about not having more time.”

“There’s never enough time,” Sam said, voice strained with grief.

“Well, we talked for hours, sitting at the table in the kitchen. I think he wants to move into the Bunker, so with your okay, I’ll give him the Key. To be honest, I was thinking it might be more comfortable there, like I could split the time between Rowena’s and the Bunker when I’m not on the road,” Ruby said.

“Have you been hunting much?” Eileen wondered. “You make it seem as if you’re constantly moving.”

“I am, though I take recovery days to keep myself sane,” Ruby said. “I’ve networked with a few other hunters, pointed them in the right direction. There’s like this whole Hunter Social Media thing now someone set up. I’ll email you both the link if you want to see. Even if you’re not hunting, if you want to help out...” She trailed off, looking at Sam.

“I’ll think about it. I do want to help, but you understand why I gave it up. It’d take something big to bring me back in on a real hunt,” he replied.

“And I wouldn’t be mad if he did hunt,” Eileen added, “but he made a bigger promise than to just me and Little Dean.”

Ruby nodded. “I understand that, believe me.” She turned towards the hallway when she heard Adam’s footsteps. A frown touched her lips when she saw the seriousness in his expression.

“What?” she asked.

“It’s something I read in the news. And yes, I checked my phone in the bathroom.” He made a face.

“Don’t we all?” Eileen asked. “What is it?”

Adam looked guilty, not wanting to talk about a case when the couple he and Ruby visited were enjoying their retirement. He relented, pulling up the story on his phone to read aloud.

“A couple of things, and I don’t know if they’re related,” Adam began. “The first thing is that a couple of funeral homes were robbed. Nothing like money or any expensive displays or personal effects of the dead.”

“What was it then?” Eileen asked, grateful that Ruby was interpreting to sign language for her.

“Brains. There were two corpses at one that hadn’t been embalmed, and part of their brains were missing. It’s the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Another was broken into, but there was only one corpse. The same parts were taken. There were claw marks on the doors as if an animal had broken off the lock, but forensics found nothing on the scene to identify who or what could have done it.”

Sam just stared at Adam as if he’d seen a ghost, going pale and stiff. He swallowed hard, took a steadying breath, and forced himself to speak. “There’s a couple of things, you said. What else?”

“Yeah,” the younger man continued, looking at his older brother in concern.. “So the police found a body at the University of Kansas near the student housing.student who was under investigation for raping a 17 year old freshman. Apparently he’d gotten off because the police mishandled the rape kit. He was found with his head crushed and his brain all over the place. It was missing the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.”

“That’s very specific,” Ruby said. “Anything else?”

“Nothing else that they’d publish. We’re going to have to get that police report to know for sure,” Adam explained. “There’s something about them still sweeping for evidence.

“I - I need to hear it again. Tell me what was missing?” Sam asked. It was almost as if he were trying to make his brain believe what he was hearing.

“Hypothalamus and pituitary gland from the brain,” Adam repeated. “And yeah, with the hormone treatment and the glands, it seems far too specific to be just a mugging or normal murder. It matches up with the robberies from the mortuaries. The article also mentions something about an earlier murder on campus, but I didn’t read on it yet.”

“Far too convenient,” his older brother agreed. He stood up, starting to pace the room in frustration and a little fear. Ruby wanted to reach out, but he wasn’t paying attention to anything but his thoughts. It was enough that even baby Dean started to whimper.

“Sam,” Eileen said imploringly. “Please.” Sam forced himself to stop, sitting down hard again on the couch with a mumbled apology. He reached out to touch his son’s hand gently, and then moved his own back to his lap.

“There’s a certain breed of monster that feeds specifically on the pituitary gland,” he finally managed to say. “And two of them in particular were tied very closely to me and Dean.”

“Oh?” Eileen asked, looking up from the baby. Realization set in; she knew the story. “Oh, Sam, _no_.”

“Yeah,” Sam told her grimly. He looked down at his hands, fists clenched, and then back up. “Only one breed of monster has that specific of an appetite. A Kitsune.”


	14. This Ain’t The Summer of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Lock all your doors from the outside  
>  The key will dangle by the inside  
> You may begin to understand  
> That this is the night we ride  
> This ain't the garden of Eden  
> There ain't no angels above  
> And things ain't like what they used to be  
> And this ain't the summer of love_
> 
> This Ain’t The Summer of Love - Blue Öyster Cult

Ruby found Sam in his panic room/armory, cleaning his Taurus while cursing under his breath. “Hey, you don’t have to do this,” she told him for what felt like the fiftieth time.

“I told you, I do. I have to know if it’s who I think it is,” Sam said. “Dean killed his mom, and the kid promised revenge. I have to make sure he’s not looking to take it out on me or my family.” He inspected the barrel, and then went about loading his clips.

“You don’t even know if it’s the same Kitsune, Sam,” Ruby protested. “I’m sure your friend and her son weren’t the only Kitsune to exist.”

Sam looked at her over his shoulder with what Ruby considered was the epitome of a bitch face. “No shit,” he told her, but he forced himself to relax. “Sorry, but I can’t leave this, not without knowing. My dad’s unfinished business is what killed Dean. I’m not going to risk the same with anyone else I care about. I can’t lose anyone else.” He deflated, just a little, old grief coming to the fore.

Ruby came over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Okay, I understand. I just didn’t want you doing something you might regret.”

He sniffed once and nodded, blinking hard. “I appreciate it, I do. And I appreciate that you’ll have my back.”

Ruby smirked. “To be honest, I appreciate that you trust me enough for that. You were really quick to ask Adam to stay here with Eileen and Little Dean. You don’t want him to be a target.”

“I don’t, and I do need someone here with my wife and son, and Eileen is in no shape to join me anyway,” Sam affirmed. “But this is still my responsibility if it’s Jacob. You have more than just hunting skills.”

“Wait, his name is Jacob?” Ruby asked. _Where did I hear that name? This morning at the cafe!_ “I met a Jacob today.”

Sam froze. “You _what_? You _did_?” he asked. “What did he look like?”

Ruby took a seat nearby. “Pretty guy, mid-twenties, college student.” Even as she started describing the guy, it started falling into place. “Curly dark hair, olive skin, gorgeous green eyes. Very sharp, very friendly, really polite.” Her eyes narrowed as she recalled. “He’s majoring in Mortuary Science, Sam.”

“Shit,” Sam said again, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “The thing is that I don’t _want_ to kill him. I want to make sure he doesn’t kill anyone, or...”

“Or hurt your family,” the witch finished for him. “So then we need a plan. You’re a local, so you can’t just pull the FBI thing, so that’s why you had Adam do it then. I hope he gets back soon.”

“Yeah, same here,” Sam agreed. “You said you talked to this Jacob?”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah, just a little bit of friendly banter, you know? He said he was new in town by about a month. Adam accused me of flirting. Not even. But with what you told me about Dean killing your friend’s son, and then you said his name was Jacob — the coincidence can’t be ignored.”

“It took forever to get Dean to tell me, and then we actually talked about it. Jacob said he wasn’t going to kill again, only — only to get his revenge,” Sam told her. “If we can talk to him, tell him what happened, maybe he’ll give up or something.”

“Or _something_ ,” Ruby agreed. “Okay, so he hopefully doesn’t know I’m a hunter. We can go back to the cafe and follow him. He probably knows your car, so probably better for me to do the tailing. If we have to, er, defend ourselves, what’s a Kitsune weak against?”

“Stabbing in the heart,” Sam told her, “or the Colt, which you have on you. Saw it poking out of your shoulder holster.”

Before the witch could say anything, footsteps on the landing made them both turn around. Adam stood there, leaning on the doorpost, dressed in his best business casual with the badge hanging on his pocket. He walked on in, having a seat while he loosened his tie.

“So we have two witnesses. One came forward on the murder, another freshman girl living on campus. Well, I’m using ‘witness’ in the broad sense. She said she’d been at a party with the victim, some jock named Marcus, and went out walking with him when she started feeling really loopy. Blood test showed she’d been roofied.” The younger Winchester had an expression of disgust. “Hope that asshole is in Hell. But the girl, Hayley, said she saw someone run up and take Marcus down when he started getting gropey on her. She passed out and woke up on a bench in plain sight of her building.”

“I think maybe a little gear-switching is in order. Maybe one of us should make sure Jacob is at work, and then I can go talk to this Hayley,” Ruby suggested. “And yeah, the Jacob from this morning, Adam.”

“Sam, you could stay with Eileen...” Adam began, but Sam cut him off.

“No, and you know why,” Sam told him. “I could take Eileen’s car.”

“Sam, _no_. You’d be a moose driving a tricycle,” Ruby pointed out. “Let’s just focus on Hayley. I think I can take care of her, and then we can check out the mortuaries together.”

“I kinda beat you to that,” Adam told them. “It said in the report that they’re two of three mortuaries that have a program with the Mortuary Science department at the university for students to get lab time with a cadaver. If there’s going to be another hit, it’ll have to be that third one.”

“Maybe not, depending on how often Kitsune need to feed,” Ruby pointed out.

“When I was a kid at Amy’s house, their fridge had brain parts in little tubs, quite a few of them,” Sam added. “Was there anything else at the scene?”

“The only other thing was an empty vial of a drug, Somatropin. It’s used to treat growth hormone deficiencies and a few other illnesses, including Short Bowel Disease and HIV-related weight loss,” Adam explained.

“So a Kitsune is taking artificial growth hormone replacement?” The brunette scratched her head, thinking about it. “So then the pituitary gland thing is a supplemental thing. So what about the other witness?”

“A professor was seen walking across campus that night by some of the students, so the police questioned him. He said he saw some kids making out, but he was tired from long office hours and wanted to get home,” Adam said. “Plus he’s pretty nearsighted. He was actually at one of the mortuaries, so I just talked to him there. His name’s Geoff Elkins.”

“Huh,” Sam muttered. “Well, we still need to check Jacob out.”

“Are you planning on just forcing a confrontation?” Adam wondered.

“Better face him down than risk another death,” Sam reasoned. “Ruby, you’ll need to get your meeting out of the way first.”

“I have her number,” Adam said, handing over his notepad. 

Ruby took it, fishing out her “business” phone, and made the call. “Hi, is this Hayley Nakajima? Hi, I’m Agent Carver. Right, my partner got your number from the police station. Are you free to speak today? Oh, you’re free now? I’ll be on my way to meet you. Sure, coffee sounds great. See you then. Bye.” She looked up at the other two, hanging up her phone. “I’m going to go change and meet our witness.”

It didn’t take long for the brunette to change and head out, going to a coffee shop called Alchemy Coffee. It had some interesting decor, Ruby thought, with chandeliers, yellow walls, and what looked like average kitchen tables arranged for the guests. She recognized Hayley and waved, but she stopped to order herself a coffee before coming over, hoping to establish a friendly rapport.

The young woman seemed to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, with straight strawberry-blonde hair pulled back in the center, leaving a stylish little bump of hair with a few framing strands around her face that contrasted with her leaf-green eyes. Ruby could tell it wasn’t the student’s natural hair color; her black roots were growing out a little. Without taking Hayley’s family name into account, Ruby could tell the younger woman was half-Japanese by her features.

“I’m so glad you called,” Hayley said. “I was so scared. I mean, I was gonna end up like Charlene, knocked up with a rapist on the loose.” Her voice was low, abashed, and disquieted. “I was s-so stupid! He was hot, you know? Brought me a drink, and I just — _UGH_.”

Ruby gave her a small smile, nodding. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s been charmed by an asshole who just wants to get in your undies,” she told Hayley sympathetically. “Just guard your drinks better. Get them from the bartender only if you’re out, or make them yourself. Not even going to start on you probably being underage.” She sighed, taking a drink of her coffee. “But I’m not here to lecture you.”

“You want to know about my rescuer,” Hayley suggested, to which Ruby nodded. “I really didn’t get a good look at him, and well, I was feeling way too woozy to pay attention. Like all heavy and sick feeling. He was kinda lanky, and I think he was a white guy with dark hair. I couldn’t make out a face, though, I’m sorry.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, that’s more than what we had. It at least narrows the pool down some. So what’s your major?”

“Forensic science, you know, like crime scene analysis, but I’m also going into Forensic Physics for a specialty. It’s so cool. I used to watch this Forensic Files show when I was a kid. I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Hayley replied. “I guess the cops didn’t like me asking so many questions.” She let out a soft laugh, reaching for her own coffee.

She tried not to make it look like she noticed, but Ruby did see a crack in the younger woman’s index fingernail. “That looks like it hurt,” she finally said to acknowledge it. “Did that happen last night?”

“Oh, um, it must have,” Hayley said, a little defensiveness creeping into her voice. “I woke up with it like that, I guess. It’s a little sore. I’m gonna have to go get a manicure or something.”

“You rock the natural look pretty well,” Ruby commented. “Just try some nail-building gel, and it’ll grow back ok.”

“Thanks,” the younger woman said, forcing a little laugh. She returned to drinking her coffee, seeming a bit self-conscious. “So did you have any other questions for me about the thing last night? I gotta get back to campus to study.”

“Oh, right, no, not really. You didn’t see what you didn’t see. If you hear anything or remember something, here’s my card,” Ruby told Hayley, holding it out for the younger woman to take.

Hayley thanked Ruby, pulling up her purse from off the ground to put the card inside. What Ruby saw, however, gave her a moment of pause. Peeking out from behind the young woman’s purse was a white box with a blue design across it. In bold letters in a block-style sans serif font was “SOMATR-“. The rest of the letters obfuscated by the wallet. Ruby hoped Hayley didn’t notice her intake of breath at the sight. This was getting more and more complicated.

“It was lovely meeting you, Hayley,” Ruby said, standing up and reaching out to shake the young woman’s hand. “All the best with school. You haven’t chosen an easy field.”

Hayley grinned, blushing a bit. “Yeah, it’s rough, but I think I’m doing okay at it. It was nice to meet you, Agent Carver.”

Ruby made her way back to The Boss, settling behind the seat. She took a moment to set her iPhone on its mount, and started driving back, the call already going out.

“Hey, what do you have, Ruby?” Sam asked by way of greeting. “Adam went out anyway to check out Jacob’s school records, by the way. He’s in the mortuary program.”

“Not surprising,” the witch replied. “Look, I talked to Hayley, and her story checked out except for a couple of things.”

“Like?” Sam prompted.

“She’s a Forensic Science major with an interest in physics and crime scene analysis,” Ruby told him. “That by itself might not be a big thing, and underage drinking in college is also fairly common, but there was something else that really set off my Spider-Sense.”

“Oh, so it gets better, huh?” was the snarky reply on the other line. Ruby could see the unamused expression in her imagination. He let out a sigh. “What else?”

Ruby sniffed once, stopping at a light. “She had a prescription box for Somatropin, Sam. It was the same drug found near the crime scene.”

There was a long moment of silence on the other line, only interrupted by Sam’s breathing until he spoke. “So if Jacob is who we think he is, and if this girl might be what we’re suspecting she is, then we might have two Kitsune to contend with or a hell of a coincidence. Come on back, ok? We have to do some planning.”

“I’m on my way,” Ruby affirmed, and zoomed off once her light was green.


	15. Sucker for Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _So I turn to the left and I turn to the right  
>  But none of the answers are in sight  
> So I made a mistake maybe once or twice  
> And I can't even get to paradise  
> And a priest came up to me and touched my face  
> He said terrible things happen round this place  
> Such terrible things happen round this place  
> Such terrible things happen round this place  
> No demon, no man has got a clue  
> But surely son, the end will turn out right for you_
> 
> Sucker For Mystery - Oingo Boingo

The four adults and one infant were gathered in the kitchen, sitting around the table with Eileen holding the tiny Dean in her arms. He thankfully was just starting to fall asleep again, but his mother didn’t want to let him out of her sight, not with so much going on.

“So we have a crime scene that revealed nothing of who it could be, but the witness is also a potential Kitsune who happens to be specializing in Crime Scene Analysis as her major,” Adam said, going through the list as Sam signed his interpretation for Eileen. “Then we have another guy who might just be the son of a Kitsune that Dean killed who also happens to be an old girlfriend of Sam’s.” He looked around the table. “Did I miss anything?”

Ruby huffed. “I don’t think you did. This is a real tangle.” She sighed, sitting back in her chair.”

“Okay, so we need to get the both of them investigated. I really wanted someone to stay here with Eileen, but this might be all available hands on deck,” Sam told them, resigned.

“I told you, we’ll be fine,” Eileen said aloud, her hands full. “I can defend myself and Dean, and the house is very well warded. And before you ask, yes, I’m sure. Maybe I can’t go out, especially because of the baby, but I can shoot a gun.”

Sam looked torn, but finally he relented. “Okay, then we’ll do that. I’ll see if I left anything unprotected on the property at all. Back to the Kitsune, then. Ruby should go check out the waiter, see if he’s who I think he is. If not, then we’re good. I know it’s creepy to have you stake out a Freshman, Adam, but she hasn’t seen you before. You’ll raise fewer alarms with her directly. Then there’s that Professor Elkins, right?”

“Yeah, about him,” Ruby said. “So in digging back through the news, there was another murder on campus about two weeks earlier, but while the victim was male, there was nothing on his record to indicate he was a troublemaker at all. His head was all kinds of smashed up, like he’d been torn apart,” she added, reading over the article on her iPad. “One more, too, an admissions clerk, and he was a witness on the first case. They ruled it as an accident; his car rolled down an incline onto his head, crushing it. If it’s foul play, then our nearsighted professor may be the next target as a witness.”

“So someone should go follow him, too,” Eileen suggested.

“Well, since I’m the only one left, I’ll tend to the professor,” Sam said. “I did want to go with Ruby to check on Jacob, but if the guy’s life is in danger, someone needs to talk to him.”

“Back in the saddle, Sam,” Ruby told him with a sad smile.

“Yeah. But it’s the right thing to do. I think Dean would agree,” the taller man replied with another note of resignation. “Though if he were here, we’d be on it together.”

Ruby reached out to squeeze Sam’s shoulder, exchanging a look with Eileen who also recognized her husband’s on-going grief. “He’s with you, Sammy. And we are in this together.”

Sam looked back over at Ruby for a long moment, and then around at his wife and younger brother, finally nodding. “Hunting things. Saving people. The Family Business.” He gave the others a wry half-smile. “One more time.”

After a visit to the basement, everyone was appropriately armed and ready for their individual assignments. Eileen loaned Adam her car, her beloved 1971 Plymouth Valiant, for his mission after securing a promise from him to bring it back intact. Once they were ready and Sam kissed Eileen goodbye, the three set out, looking like a parade of classic cars to passers-by.

Ruby enjoyed the company of Adam, Sam, and Eileen, but she was still adjusting to being, well, alive and interacting with others. She wasn’t exactly sure how she wanted to approach this Jacob. She half-hoped he wasn’t the same person. Losing your mother to a hunter and witnessing it so young couldn’t be good for one’s mental well-being. A pang of sympathy tore through her; she remembered being in his shoes at a young age, too.

“ _She was disobedient and a witch. I had no choice,” Rubina’s father told her as he stood over the fallen woman’s body. “Go fetch the priest, child. NOW, lest you get the strap!”_

Ruby forced the memory from her mind. As a demon, she’d been tortured with it as part of her transformation until she couldn’t remember anything other than the pain. Now that she was human again, the memory was almost as real and painful as if it had happened ten years ago instead of hundreds of years ago. The asshole was dead, and she had another chance.

It didn’t take her long to get to the cafe, and thankfully she pulled up across the street just as her target was stepping out of the restaurant. He wore a red jacket with a stylized fox on the back (Are you advertising? Ruby thought.) and faced away from her as he waved to his coworkers. There was a grin on his face as he set off down the street to where a restored 1972 AMC Gremlin X was parked. The car was clearly well-loved, its blue body with gold racing stripe still shiny from a recent waxing, despite the dusting of snow. The young man unlocked the door, but he stopped to check his phone, apparently just receiving a call. As he spoke, Ruby saw his expression turned to shock, disbelief, and then narrow-eyed determination. The call didn’t last very long, and when he started his car and drove off, he looked like a man on a mission.

Ruby set off after him, maintaining a safe distance, glad for her black car in the early darkness. He made a line for the campus, taking the most direct path as he could and parked not far from what looked like practice rooms for musicians. A few were occupied, but that wasn’t where Jacob was headed. He walked on to an equipment storage room, and the witch got out and followed him.

Clearly Jacob didn’t notice that he’d left the door ajar. Ruby watched him take out a small vial and syringe, withdrawing the liquid inside with practiced ease and injecting himself. The need was discarded in a portable sharps container he kept in his messenger bag, so it was clear he was being smart about it. His phone was out a moment later, and he stated texting again. Taking a chance, Ruby opened the door and shut it behind her.

“What... who? You’re the lady from this morning,” Jacob gasped. “I... did you follow me?”

Ruby left her stance open, ready to move if she needed to, and she noted Jacob was tensed as if to bolt. “Chill. I’m checking on something for a friend. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. My name is Ruby.”

“You’re a hunter,” he said in a small voice. “ _Goddamn it_!”

“I am, but again, no weapons out. Is your last name ‘Pond’?” she asked.

The color seemed to drain out of Jacob’s face, eyes going wide. “How did you know? Did that guy send you to finish the job he did on my mom?” Anger trickled into his voice.

“You mean Dean Winchester,” Ruby said, and again, taking a risk, she sat on a box across from him, keeping a non-threatening position. “He’s been dead coming up on two years.”

If there was something that could deflate Jacob, it was this news. “I gave up on my revenge,” he told Ruby. “But how do you know about him? About _me_? Are you a friend of Sam Winchester? He was my mom’s friend. He let her live when she was killing to save me.”

“Sam Winchester lives in town. He wanted to make sure you were okay, that you weren’t behind the murders.” The witch forced herself to stay relaxed, but her attention was on the tension in Jacob’s shoulders. “He was your mother’s friend. Look, I _know_ Sam, and he’s one of the most sincere and compassionate people I know. Please trust me. I didn’t know who you were this morning.”

“Look, I’ve had to change schools three times because of hunters, all because some asshat keeps finding me and killing people where I am. I was mad at Dean, and I still am, but when I got older, I knew that’s not what mom wanted for me.” Jacob stood, but this time it was to pace. “I didn’t kill those people, I swear. Every time I move, someone seems to follow me and starts killing people. I don’t know if it’s another Kitsune or someone trying to make it look like one. I want to live in peace.” There were tears in the young man’s eyes, and warmth where Rowena’s pendant touched her skin told Ruby it was sincere.

“I believe you,” Ruby told him, nodding when Jacob looked over at her with disbelief in his grass-green eyes. “So we need to make this end. We need to stop whoever is stalking you and killing these people. You need to be free. Tell me everything you know. Who are you texting?”

“My friend,” Jacob replied. “Her name is Hayley. We met by accident when we were both trying to figure how to get into the mortuary. And yeah, those were me. She hooked me up with a stash this bodybuilding site that sells Human Growth Hormone, and it helps me go longer without needing to eat a pituitary gland.”

“So I was right. It’s to supplement something your body needs,” Ruby affirmed.

“And when I was so sick when I was a kid, dead brains weren’t doing it for me. Not enough hormone,” Jacob continued. “But if I do what mom did, become a mortician, I can pretty much harvest from the dead.”

“This begs a serious question,” the witch said. “Did your friend Hayley kill those people?”

Jacob shook his head. “No. Someone else killed her attacker, so she said. She went back and stole the gland because it was a good opportunity.”

“But the passing out on the bench was a lie. She said she was carried over to a bench to wake up,” Ruby informed him.

“No, she told me she was thrown across the lawn, and the guy was already dead when she got there,” Jacob corrected. “I mean, she hasn’t steered me wrong before.”

Ruby fixed him with a look. “Dude. You’ve been here a _month_. How long have you known her?”

“Three weeks,” Jacob admitted, looking embarrassed. “I just wanted a friend.”

Ruby stood up. “Look, I hope to Hell she’s not playing you, but we can’t leave this be. You can’t keep running, or someone’s going to kill you.”

Jacob let out a long, pained sigh. “Look, I know. And see, I know it’s someone stalking me because I find a card with a phone number on it every time, in a place they know I’ll see. I just got one.” He handed out the rectangular business card to Ruby.

“I can protect you. Join me or they will kill you.” Ruby said the words, frowning when Jacob flinched. “Okay, we’re going to call the number. I’m going to text Sam and Adam, and we’ll be your backup.”

Jacob merely nodded, sitting back in defeat, but also hopeful that this truly would be the end of his trouble.

Starting a group chat, Ruby contacted Sam and Adam.

[Sam, it’s your Jacob. He’s running from a stalker who does murders to make it look like a Kitsune. Possible it’s Hayley. Confirmed Kitsune.] She looked over at Jacob to make sure he agreed, and when he nodded, she told them everything, about the card, the messages, and the different story Hayley told Jacob.

[Yeah, she’s heading to the offices on campus,] Adam replied. [Sam, do you see her? She’s heading to your prof’s office.]

[Outside his side window,] Sam replied. [Have Jacob make the call. Have a hunch. Can’t hear much, but they’re talking about someone, and it doesn’t sound like the degree program.]

“Hey, Jacob. Call the number. Let’s arrange the meeting,” Ruby told him. “And don’t worry, we have your back.”

“You better. I don’t want to live like a murderer, Ruby,” he told her. “I don’t want to live in fear. Mom didn’t want that for me, to end up like her, dead with a hunter’s knife in her heart.” He sucked in a breath. “I’m afraid of dying like she did.”

Ruby felt a pang of sympathy, but before she could say anything, offer any comfort, Jacob already dialed the number.

“Yes, this is Jacob Pond,” he said. He seemed to listen intently, eyes going wide at one point, but closing in resignation at another. “Okay, I’ll be there.”

Ruby felt her phone buzz, and she looked at the message from Sam.

[Professor Elkins’s phone just rang. He said “Hello, Jacob”.]


	16. Night Prowler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Somewhere a clock strikes midnight  
>  And there's a full moon in the sky  
> You hear a dog bark in the distance  
> You hear someone's baby cry  
> A rat runs down the alley  
> And a chill runs down your spine  
> And someone walks across your grave  
> And you wish the sun would shine  
> 'Cause no one's gonna warn you  
> And no one's gonna yell attack  
> And you don't feel the steel  
> Till it's hangin' out your back_
> 
> Night Prowler - AC/DC

Ruby stared at the text, and then looked up at Jacob, who was nervously finishing his call. “Yes, sir. I’ll meet you there. Yeah, I’m on campus. Bye.” As soon as he disconnected, those brilliant green eyes were glued on the former demon’s face. “It’s my professor, like, the one who got me into the Mortuary program. He-He’s the one. I can’t believe it!”

Ruby looked at her phone, eyes wide when she looked back up at Jacob. “Where does he want to meet you?” she asked, texting Sam that there was going to be a meeting.

“In the cadaver lab. They bring out frozen cadavers and body parts for practice embalming,” the Kitsune told her. “It’s not far. But I’m supposed to come alone.”

“It’s ok, I can tail you,” Ruby told him, angry that he had to be in danger like this. “I’m good at staying out of sight, especially if you take a route around buildings or bushes.”

Jacob took a breath, held it, and released it, trying to calm himself. “Okay, I know the way to take. We better hurry.” He pocketed his phone, and then he let his hand transform, massive claws growing where his nails were, and his pupils forming vertical slits, just like a fox. Another moment, and he changed back. “Making sure, you know?”

“Flex old muscles,” Ruby told him in understanding.

[Heading to cadaver lab. Be careful, he’s heading out,] she sent to Sam.

[I hear. I don’t think he can see me.] Sam sent in reply, and it looked like he was typing something, but then it stopped.

[Ruby, Sam’s down, hit in the head from behind. It was the professor, for sure. He’s carrying Sam off,] Adam sent a second after Sam’s typing stopped. [Know where?]

[Cadaver lab. Jacob and I are en route. Meet there, don’t be seen,] she cautioned, and with that, she pocketed her phone.

Jacob steeled himself and headed out into the night, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked off. Ruby waited until he was a few buildings away to sneak out and tail him, staying to opposite sizes of whatever building he was at and listening carefully to where he went. It wasn’t terribly far away, a half-mile from where they’d been conversing. Her heart raced, and not from exertion, but from a soul-wrenching worry for Sam. How would she explain to Eileen that she let something happen to her husband? Ruby forcefully pushed the thought from her head as she moved in the shadows.

The particularly laboratory room was in its own small building that seemed to contain two rooms each with their own single door on the long side and double doors on the short end. The double doors were ajar, but she also noticed that Jacob entered in through the side door.

 _All unlocked? Should I think this is the world’s dumbest Kitsune or that this is a trap?_ she wondered. Where was Hayley in this? Was she also being stalked, or was she a part of this?

“Hey, badass lady,” a voice beside her whispered, and even though worry was evident on Adam’s face, he still gave her a brief cheeky smirk.

“Stop being adorable, Winchester. I swear you boys get me in trouble,” Ruby replied, rolling her eyes dramatically at him. “So we need to see what the big guy wants with Jacob. Can you look in on the side door? I’ll peek at the double doors. And shit, if Sam is hurt, I am going to mess that guy up good.”

“You and me both,” Adam said darkly, the humor fading from his eyes. “Okay, on it.” He darted off around the side, and when he was in position, Ruby took her place at the cracked double door, able to hear clearly. She chanced a peek, and swallowed hard at what she saw.

The lab room itself was large enough that a class of twelve students could gather with a cadaver each. In the back right corner was a large walk-in freezer, presumably for whatever dead thing the students would be working with. With white tile floors and matching white brick walls, the place was appropriately clinical and sterile.

Four lab tables were in the room, three pushed aside. The one left in the middle was occupied by an unconscious Sam Winchester, laying on his back with one hand dangling off the side. Ruby risked a small spell, just reaching out invisibly to make sure he was alive. To her immense relief, he was, but she knew that could easily change. One more tiny spell murmured, a little healing, but she hoped that it would be enough from across the room.

“It looks like you attracted attention, Jacob, and quite a fortuitous catch! I had no idea that this town housed so illustrious a hunter, but am I not right that this man’s brother killed your mother?” Professor Elkins asked, tapping the unconscious man on his forehead.

“How do you know?” Jacob demanded, voice shaking.

“You’re not the only one who wants Dean Winchester dead, you know,” the older man said. He looked absolutely scholarly, wearing brown trousers with a white button up dress shirt under a brown argyle vest. Ruby thought that his pale skin and dirt-brown hair made him look forgettable, which she thought likely worked to his advantage. Who was going to think this mousy scholar was actually a dangerous killer?

“Well, he’s already dead, so there’s no point even trying,” Jacob said. “I know he’s dead, and even if he wasn’t, revenge wasn’t going to do me any good. I just want to go to school, live my life.”

“What, live among the prey? You’re a child of Eve, not some sniveling ape. You’re a fox, a swift, witty vulpine hunter. Watching you pretend to be human all of this time was disgusting. And you’re consorting with hunters?” He turned to nod to the single door, and Adam was pushed in by none other than Hayley.

“Look at this. We’re going to have such a fine harvest. Where’s your lady friend?” Elkins demanded, looking directly towards the door.

 _Shit_ , Ruby thought to herself.

“What lady friend?” Jacob asked, trying to sound believeable.

“It’s no matter. If she’s here and listening, she’ll get to see you make an incredible choice. You’re going to kill one of these hunters and eat the nourishing center of his brain. You do it quickly, I’ll let the other one go.” The professor smirked at the student.

“How about you bite my ass,” Jacob told him defiantly.

“I told you he wasn’t going to do it,” Hayley said, bored. The claws extended on one of her hands, and she held the nails to Adam’s throat. “So why don’t we just kill them all anyway? Starve Jake here long enough, and he’ll hunt with us.”

“I thought foxes were solitary creatures,” Adam managed, fixing a cold stare at Elkins.

The professor moved away from Sam, coming nose to nose with Adam, sniffing at him as if it would tell him more. “We are,” he said, finally stepping back. “But as a pack, we are stronger and can watch out for each other. We merely needed a mate for Hayley to grow our numbers.”

“Ugh, _no_ ,” Jacob said, scowling. “That’s... ugh. Even if you weren’t completely horrible, I’d have zero interest. No one is my type, know what I mean?”

“Oh, he says he’s asexual. It’s not like we can’t work on that,” Hayley said with false sweetness dripping from her voice.

“Well, it’s not like you have that choice, but you do have another,” Elkins said, returning to Sam. This time he completely shifted, revealing his vulpine nature. “Choose who dies.”

“Stop!” Ruby called out, swinging the door wide. She fired off a shot at the closer target, Hayley, but the blonde threw Adam aside as she dodged, taking the bullet in her knee.

With that distraction, Sam sat up, grabbing Elkins’s arm with the hand that had just been dangling. Ruby’s healing spell had been enough for him to wake gradually, and he’d clearly pretended to still be out cold and wait for his chance. The stronger creature knocked him back, however, charging right for Ruby.

The witch tried to summon more offensive magic, but she’d still be low on reserves since trying to heal the girl in Biloxi a few weeks before. Healing Sam had been the extent of her power for now. Her arms came up to block the attack, leading to an ugly gash across her left forearm that left her crying out in pain. Adrenaline, however, would be her savior as she mustered the strength to kick the Kitsune off of her, just a little bit, enough that Sam could grab and pull him off of her.

Even with her attention trained more on Elkins, she could see Jacob and Hayley squaring off, taking swipes at each other. Hayley made a lunge, but the other Kitsune grabbed her hand and broke off one of her claws, the one from the fingernail that Ruby saw the crack in earlier.

“No!” Elkins yelled, bringing Ruby’s attention back to solid focus as she saw him take a knife in the shoulder, shoving Sam with enough force to send him sliding across the room and into one of the metal tables. He didn’t even bother removing the knife from the bleeding wound, instead turning to Ruby to finish what he attempted before. This time, she had her knife out, managing to slice his forearm, but a swipe of his other hand knocked the demon-killing knife out of her hand and heading in Sam’s direction where he lay slumped over.

“Sammy, get up!” Ruby called out. “Adam!” She still did her best to hold her own, dodging blows and landing some solid punches, taking a few herself. Elkins picked her up and lifted her over his head, though, preparing to throw the former demon, but Ruby withdrew Sam’s hunting knife from the Kitsune’s shoulder and managed to wriggle down, holding onto his head with her knees as she faced the backs of his legs. With one slice, she severed the Achilles’ tendons on both ankles.

Elkins went down on his knees hard, again crying out in a howl of pain. As he dropped, Ruby landed on her head, temporarily dazed with her vision blurred. She fought for consciousness, seeing the Kitsune pivot on his knees, claws ready to tear her apart. Elkins raised his hand, hovering a moment in the air as he prepared to strike.

Seconds passed, and the strike never came, only a SHHNK sound and a gurgled liquid whimper. Ruby forced her eyes open, though all she wanted to do was close them and slip into the oblivion of sleep. What she saw the Kitsune drooling blood from his open mouth before reverting to his human form and sliding over, dead. Sam stood over him, and he removed the knife. He wiped it off on the dead man’s shirt, and he moved to help Ruby up.

“Thanks,” she told him, wobbly. “There’s still the other one.”

“Yeah, just let me get you...” The tall man trailed off, seeing his younger brother, back on his feet, grabbing Hayley and throwing her into the wall, following it up with an Angel Blade to her heart.

Jacob heaved for a moment, and then he allowed himself to shift back to his human form. “I... I can’t stay here.”

“Hold on,” Sam said, and he touched Ruby’s forehead with muttered words. With that action, her vision cleared and she felt much more stead. “Cure for a concussion,” he told her gently. Once the witch was steady on her feet, he went to retrieve his own weapon. “Okay, I have a way to make sure this doesn’t get back to you,” he told Jacob. “And I’m going to make sure you get that future you want.”

He instructed Adam and Jacob to haul the Kitsune corpses into the walk-in freezer, but while the door was still open, he used a spell that required a single drop of blood from each of them. This was one Ruby had never seen before, but immediately she knew she’d need this in her repertoire. In Sam’s open hand where each had added the drop of blood, hair, skin, oils, and blood flew and collected there. In another instant, they went up in flame, disintegrating into nothing.

Adam kicked the freezer door shut. “That’s a neat trick,” he said, impressed.

“An old friend taught that one to me, something to help me and Dean cover our tracks,” Sam said. “Look, let’s not hang around here. We’re bloody and sore, and someone’s going to come. Let’s meet back up at my house.”

“Even me?” Jacob asked.

Sam looked at the Kitsune thoughtfully. “Yeah, even you. Especially you.”

The young man looked mournful. “I hated your brother for so long. I wanted him dead, and I let it go. I’m sorry you lost your brother, but I can’t be sorry he’s dead.”

“I’m sorry you lost your mother, and I’m sorry she’s dead,” Sam said, glancing over to Adam for a moment. “But I don’t blame you. Now let’s go,” he insisted.

“You live on campus, right?” Ruby asked Jacob, seeing him nod. “So it’s not weird if we leave your car here. You can ride with me.”

As the two made their way back across campus, staying out of the way of any late night passers-by, she bumped Jacob with her elbow. “Sam’s good people, you know. You could do worse than let him be your friend. If he says he’s going to make sure you get to live a peaceful life, you can believe him.”

Jacob didn’t reply for a few long minutes as they walked, but once her Mustang was in sight, he finally did. “I think I can. I meant what I said, though, but I’m tired of running and tired of being alone.”

“You’re not alone,” Ruby told him sincerely. “Hard to believe in this world, but we’re never really as alone as we think we are.”

With that, she unlocked the car for them both and drove off into the night, heading for sanctuary.


	17. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _My heart's like an open book  
>  For the whole world to read  
> Sometimes nothing keeps me together  
> At the seams_
> 
> Home Sweet Home - Mötley Crüe

When they all arrived back at Sam and Eileen’s house, Adam was a little bit late. As it turned out, he’d swept over Elkins’ office and took his stash of the growth hormone to give to Jacob. (“I’m not going to have him without something to help keep him alive,” Adam explained.)The Kitsune was grateful, thanking the others for their kindness. Sam also helped with giving Ruby a recharge for her magical reserves, telling her she would need it far more than he did.

Eileen trusted Sam, and through him trusted Ruby and Adam. Jacob had proven himself polite if traumatized, and given what he experienced, no one was surprised. Sam took him aside to go outside and talk things out, especially about the very complicated history they shared.

“Hey, I was hoping to hang around, but I wouldn’t want to be underfoot while you have the little one,” Adam told Eileen while he and Ruby sat with her and enjoyed some coffee (Eileen assured them that coffee was fine for a nursing mother).

“You’re welcome to, though we only have the one bed,” Eileen told Adam. “And someone could take the downstairs couch.” She leaned over to check the baby in his little rocker, making sure he was still sleeping soundly.

“I actually took some initiative and extended our stay at the hotel suite for me and Adam,” Ruby said. “With an option to renew. I set it for two weeks, since I’m sure Adam wanted to get to know Sam better.”

“Not like I had a real chance to do it before,” Adam said, pleasantly surprised. “Thanks, Ruby. I don’t really have a lot to live on without credit card fraud.”

“I’ve got you covered. I inherited quite a bit more when Sam let me have Rowena’s place in Boulder,” the witch replied. “In fact, little Dean there has a trust fund set up when he’s ready for college. I had the paperwork in the gift bag, but we got sidetracked by the Kitsune situation.”

“Sam told me about Amy Pond,” Eileen told them, her expression sad. “Sam’s first kiss. But he told me Dean confessed to killing her, and later that Jacob swore to kill him. I became a hunter for revenge, and I know how it drives a person. For that reason alone I still have trouble with Sam there alone with him.”

“But you know Sam can take care of himself,” Adam supplied.

“Yes,” Eileen said, signing the word with her fist in a knocking motion. “And I trust Sam’s judgment — most of the time.” She laughed at that, exchanging a knowing look with Ruby, who simply did a dramatic roll of her eyes to tease back. “I really hope this is the last unresolved case that comes back to drag him into hunting.”

“I’m sorry,” Ruby began, but Eileen waved her down.

“No, it’s not you. I was surprised it took this long to happen,” the new mother replied, her own smile apologetic. “It’s only that I don’t want him to feel obligated to that life.”

Adam spoke up, and Ruby interpreted for him. “You know, I don’t think he feels that way. This was to protect you and Dean there, and of course he felt responsible for his friend’s son. I think that’s just the sort of integrity and empathy he has. He made a promise to care for this family, and he’s stayed true to that.”

Eileen relaxed a little. “I should know this.”

“The heart and the brain are not always on the same page,” Ruby added, understanding Eileen’s predicament. “I’d even say sometimes they’re at war. Frenemies, right?”

“Yeah, something like that,” came the reply. Eileen had her hands up to start another comment, but she saw Sam walk in with Jacob.

“How did it go?” Ruby asked apprehensively.

“We’re good,” Jacob answered. “Sam tried to protect me and my mom, like she told me. So yeah. Moving forward.”

“Grief never really leaves you,” Sam said. “You just make friends with it and work with it. The offer stands, though. You need help, you let us know.”

“I will,” Jacob said. “And um, Ruby? Yeah, we should exchange numbers. And no, I’m not trying to pick you up,” he added with a smirk.

“Look at him, already getting his flirt on with the pretty lady.” Adam laughed even more at the pink that showed on the Kitsune’s cheeks.

“Guys, focus,” Ruby ordered with a roll of her eyes. She went to send her contact card via Airdrop to Jacob’s phone. “If it’s hunter stuff, you call me or Adam. Sam’s _retired_.”

“Of course,” Jacob said. “But I better get back. School waits for no one. And...” He trailed off, looking at the others. “Thank you.” With that, he turned and left, heading out to his beloved Gremlin.

“Sam?” Eileen asked, concerned. “Are you okay with all of this?”

“I’m good,” he replied, giving Eileen a tired smile. “I’m _finally_ good. I feel like I’m putting one of Dean’s ghosts to rest, one of many he and I had in common. We talked a lot about that night Dean killed Amy, and about me letting her go, and so much more than that. I’ve been bent on revenge before, you know, after Jessica.” He’d told Eileen the entire story of how he got back into hunting. 

“Me, too,” Eileen interjected.

“Honestly, we’ve all had moments, but Jacob well and truly let go,” Sam continued. “So I’m going to respect that. I’m going to let go, too.” He sat down on the other chair, the baby’s rocker between him and his wife.

“Then if any more old Winchester loose ends come up to try to drag you back, you call me,” Ruby said.

“And me,” Adam added. “But you, you’ve earned your peace.”

“And speaking of peace, we should really let you two rest, have some time together with that baby.” Ruby stood, going to give Eileen a hug, and then Sam.

“I mean it,” she added softly for him. “You can let me carry this.”

“Thank you,” Sam told her sincerely, and he moved back as Ruby looked at Little Dean.

“And you, young Dean Winchester 2.0, your Aunt Ruby is still going to spoil you rotten. May you develop better taste in beer than your namesake uncle” She stood up, grinning at Sam who merely shook his head and grinned back.

With that more positive vibe hanging in the air, Ruby and Adam walked outside and hopped into The Boss.

——

Whatever spell that Sam cast that night had been more effective than them sweeping the scene themselves. There were no traces of evidence, no witnesses, and nothing in the crime scene to indicate what happened, only general signs of a fight. As the only DNA evidence around belonged to the two Kitsune, it’d been ruled a murder-homicide. Classes were shut down for the week to let students and colleagues grieve, and thankfully, the the authorities were clueless as to the involvement of Team Winchester-Plus-Ruby.

One thing that had not gone well was the hotel room Ruby had booked for two weeks. Wanting to relax in style, she booked them at a place that had an indoor pool and a two bed suite, each with their own room. When they arrived, however, the staff member checking them in apologized profusely as they were hosting a convention. As a result, the only room left was a honeymoon suite. It was spacious, had a spa bathtub and walk-in steam shower, but there was a single bed and no pull-out couch.

“You’re giving us an extra week then,” Ruby insisted in a tone that allowed no argument. The management was only happy to agree.

The two made it into the room, and the former demon let out a sigh. “Look, I’m not big on propriety if you aren’t. As long as you don’t snore or get handsy, we can share the bed,” she told Adam.

“Fine by me. I just want a place to sleep,” he replied with a shrug. “You sure you don’t want me to get _handsy_?” It was clear he was joking, however, and he found a towel thrown at his head for his efforts. “Okay, okay, joking!”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Ruby told Adam with a smirk.

The next couple of weeks were spent making sure that there were no other issues with unknown Kitsune or other non-humans. There had been another witch on campus just coming into his own powers, but Ruby worked with him intensely for a week, helping him build a Book of Shadows of his own and setting protections that would let him work safely. The young man, Kieran, was grateful, but he had a fantastic idea.

“You know, why not get folks like me, people associated with this world, into some kind of network. I mean, there’s web forums, Facebook groups, all kinds of stuff for fandom and hobbies. We could have the same,” he said.

“You’re the computer science major. Set it up, and we’ll work on it,” Ruby told him.

She brought it up to the others while she and Adam were having dinner with Sam and Eileen on her last night in town. “I know hunters are very insular and distrusting,” she told them over the meatloaf dinner. “It kinda goes with the territory, but I think for our own circle, this could be a good thing.”

Sam looked thoughtful as Ruby talked, nodding and asking questions as the discussion went on. “No, it could be a very good thing, and it could actually save a lot of lives with shared information and a little dispatch.” He let out a brief laugh. “So there’s these other versions of me and Dean that were running around here. They had some kind of monster hunting company, and to be honest, they were pretty douchey rich boys.” He shook his head at the though. “They were supposed to head off to Brazil. I hadn’t thought much about then after what happened with Chuck, but a month after that happened, I got a package with some pretty high-end _Cachaca_ and a letter saying a scruffy angel in a trench coat sent them home and that they liked _their_ scruffy angel better.”

Ruby laughed at that. “Well, I’m not looking to turn a profit or anything, but keeping our people in contact is good.”

“You know, Sam,” Eileen signed and spoke, “this is a good compromise. You can keep helping to save people without putting yourself in danger.”

Sam nodded. “I was thinking about that. You’re right. And if there’s other unfinished business Dean and I left, well, I can point people in the right direction without feeling obligated. Make sense?”

“Absolutely,” Adam agreed. “I’ve found myself in that same emotional boat a few times.”

“You’re letting go of hunting. You’re _still_ helping,” Ruby added. “And no one would blame you if you even stepped away from that.”

Sam looked relieved at that. “I’d still like you to meet Garth, Bess, and the kids. Garth talked about coming down for a visit once he hired another dentist at his practice. You two need dental work, you know who to call.” An amused smirk touched his face. “Dean had seventeen cavities the one time he let Garth work on him.”

“Ouch,” Adam said. “I only had two when I was a teenager. They were bad enough.”

“Apparently Garth used too much gas and Dean has some kind of crazy dream he wouldn’t tell me about, but he had a hard time watching Gene Kelly movies for a while,” Sam told them with a shrug. “Never knew someone with an aversion to tap dancing.”

“You’re still afraid of clowns,” Eileen pointed out. She turned to the other two. “There was a clown making the rounds at the hospital for new mothers, and Sam told the nurses in no uncertain terms that there would be NO clowns allowed near his child,” she told them with a laugh.

“Long story,” Sam muttered, unnerved by thinking of them.

Ruby smirked, but she reached out to pat Sam’s shoulder sympathetically. “Don’t worry, you have people to protect you from the layers of Ben Nye and Mehron paint.”

The taller man merely rolled his eyes and dug back into his meatloaf while the others laughed.

After dessert and another feeding of Little Dean, the group moved off to the living room to drink coffee and talk. Hunting didn’t come up at all, but just observations about life in general, what was going on, the usual family talk. Ruby caught herself noticing it in one of her “intruder” moments, when she felt like she like the had inserted herself someplace she wasn’t worthy of being, but it was little things that drew her back in: a smile from Eileen, a coffee refill from Sam, and a poke in the arm by Adam.

Before it got too late, Ruby and Adam headed back out to the Mustang after warm goodbyes to the married Winchesters. Both sat in pleasant silence while Ruby drove them back to the hotel. She hadn’t had a comfortable silence like that with anyone, she thought, not since before she left her brother.

In the hotel, Ruby took the tub while Adam had a shower, both dressed in warm pajamas and sitting on the couch to watch some late night horror flick. There was a late check out tomorrow; neither were in a rush to go to bed.

“You know, I liked hunting with you and Sam,” Adam told Ruby, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

“You did? I have to admit, it was nice having someone to work with,” she told him, turning to look at him more directly. He, too, turned to look at her with a thoughtful expression.

“Move in. Live at the Bunker. I know you’ve got a nice set up at Rowena’s place, but you’re alone there,” he insisted.

Ruby seemed taken aback. “Live with you? I - Shit, Adam, I’m a mess, and there’s things you don’t know about me, what I’ve done...”

Adam stopped her. “Don’t care about that. I mean, I indirectly helped try to do the whole Apocalypse thing, and that’s pretty hardcore. You and I both had a hand in that. But both of us need a friend, a partner, and if there’s anyone who can make sense of the fuckery of this world and my life, it’s you.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes. “Are you hitting on me again?”

The man next to her laughed. “No! Hell, last thing any of us needs is complications like that, even though it’s fun to ruffle your feathers. No. Friends. Partners. Family.” He extended his hand.

The former demon turned witch looked from the extended hand to Adam’s eyes, and she took his hand. “All of the above. I’m in.”


	18. Wish You Were Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _So, so you think you can tell  
>  Heaven from hell?  
> Blue skies from pain?  
> Can you tell a green field  
> From a cold steel rail?  
> A smile from a veil?  
> Do you think you can tell?_
> 
> Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

Ruby didn’t really have a lot to move into the Bunker. She and Adam discussed the arrangements, and the former demon would still be spending a necessary time at the place inherited from Rowena. Sometimes, she told Adam, a girl needs her space. Still, she felt that Rowena’s place was Rowena’s, and maybe someday she’d return to it full time, but it was a little disconcerting to her that the Queen of Hell could show up whenever she wanted, even if as an astral projection.

 _It’s not like I’m Rowena’s errand girl_ , Ruby thought to herself, though she did touch the pendant Rowena gave her with hopes that the Queen would understand. She liked the late witch and was sure the feeling was mutual. Of course, she wasn’t at all opposed to wrangling in souls that belonged in Hell, but not now. She had other obligations.

First thing was first: stocking the Bunker. There was NO toilet paper for one thing; Sam hadn’t really left much. They needed food, cleaning supplies, and at least a few more creature comforts. Adam went right out and bought a new gaming console, but he also came in with a Sega Saturn modified to use a flash drive for games and bypassing region locking (Ruby quickly learned to get decent X-men vs Street Fighter to avoid a pouty Adam). There was one thing the two agreed on almost immediately: the rooms that’d been occupied by Sam, Dean, Castiel, Jack, and Mary would not be touched. In fact, they kept the rooms shut and went so far as to put a placard to say who’d live there. The two had no intent to let many others live in their home if it wasn’t necessary.

Ruby ended up taking Room 24 for herself with Adam taking Room 25. While Sam and Dean had pretty much kept their rooms a bit austere, she wanted it to be home. Without ruining the mid-century aesthetic, she went for a bit more of the Beatnik decor with some pops of aqua, green, and black for her more goth tastes. She set up a reading nook in the corner with soft lights, extra pillows on her bed, and a few movie posters from the fifties, including North by Northwest, Sleeping Beauty, House on Haunted Hill, and Five Gates to Hell on a gallery-style wall. There was one thing she splurged on, however. When the thrift store she visited had a 1959 Curtis Mathes HiFi Stereo Music Center.

Adam’s room wasn’t too fancy, but he had dressed it up, too, with photos salvaged from his old home, a full collection of The Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations, some cookbooks, and some more literature. Ruby was more than happy to help with a little bit of decor to make it more homey.

A couple of weeks of settling in had the two in a comfortable routine. One night, the two were in the library, looking for work to do, when Adam reached to tug at Ruby’s sleeve. “I think I got something.”

“Hm?” Ruby looked up from her web search. “Whatcha got, Winchester?”

Adan lit up at that as he always did when the witch used his chosen surname. “Sweet talker,” he teased. “There’s a town called Daphne, in Baldwin County, Alabama. Not super big, but not entirely backwater swamp. Anyway, there were people out at Belrose Park near the beach who say they saw what they think was a blindfolded woman dressed in white. The few who reported her said she turned away when they approached.”

“So they thought she was a lost old lady or something?” Ruby wondered.

“I guess, but soon after, wildlife officers found some bodies, too. Three different young younger people. Two guys, seventeen and eighteen, and nineteen year old female. They were found tied up and left on the shore. It looks like they were dead before the alligators got to them.”

“Ouch. I wonder what’s worse, how they died or ending up as gator chow.” The witch winced at that. “Toxicology? Any of that fun stuff? Actual cause of death?”

“Well, if they’d drowned, it be hypoxemia with acute asphyxial cardiac arrest,” Adam replied, looking over the report. But there’s one statement from a coroner that says stress cardiomyopathy leading to a myocardial infraction.”

“So in English for those of us who didn’t go pre-med?” Ruby insisted, fixing her bunker-mate with a look.

Adam gave Ruby a sheepish grin. “So basically, the first is cardiac arrest from drowning. Sometimes you get both, where the stress and fear of drowning can cause a heart attack, but it’s usually more quiet than that. It’s why you don’t see people thrashing around in the water like in a movie. The one coroner is saying a heart attack that happened before the bodies even hit the water.”

“I think this is worth it,” Ruby told Adam seriously. “I’d like us to talk to this coroner in particular.”

“Dr Quinn Stokes,” he told her. “Oh, wow.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow. “‘Oh, Wow’ _what_?”

“Rare thing to see a Southern news publication refer to someone as they/their when they’re non-binary. Of course, they’re calling it out in a kind of backhanded way,” came the reply. “I mean, who says ‘preferred pronouns’ anymore? It’s just ‘pronouns’.”

The witch looked vaguely impressed. “Color me surprised in one way, but _completely_ unsurprised about it being backhanded. It’s been what, a year since the Transgender Inclusion and Protection Act passed?”

“Something like that, yeah. The South was dragged kicking and screaming into it, but mostly because of the grip of that special brand of Southern Christianity,” Adam affirmed. “I mean, not to make a commentary of it, but if they knew half of the crap we knew, they’d be rethinking a few things.”

Ruby snorted. “If they knew half of what we knew, they’d shit the bed every damn night and cry.”

Adam laughed outright at that. “That’s for damn sure. I mean, look at us. You and I have literally been to Hell and been brought back mostly human.”

“Mostly? What, you mean because I’m a witch? Well, I guess you have a fair point,” the former demon agreed. “What about you? You come back with something different?”

Adam didn’t laugh, but instead he looked uncomfortable. “You could say that. I’m — I’m not ready to talk about it Not yet.”

Ruby sobered at his expression and words. “All right.” She cleared her throat, closing her iPad over the keyboard. “Well, if we’re going to do this, let’s go. Meet you in the garage in thirty.”

Once the two had their bags packed, weapons chosen, and lunch packed, they loaded up The Boss and took to the road. The first ten hours of the drive only involved stops for gas and eating lunch on the road until they reached Pine Bluff, AR. The hotel was lacking some amenities, but it was serviceable and had WiFi.

Another seven hours on the road the next day got them to the Holiday Inn Express where Ruby booked their stay. She’d hoped to find a place a little less well-known, the some of the privately owned motels had roach and security problems. Not her scene. Besides, at least she could get a suite with a kitchenette, and the larger bathroom was a definite plus.

“We made good time,” Adam said, going to pull out his business casual attire and FBI jacket. “Should we go on and visit our coroner?”

“Gotta get the police report first, but yeah,” Ruby replied, taking care to steam her outfit so it looked professional. She passed the clothes steamer to her partner and went to the bathroom to change.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen a woman naked before,” Adam called out, teasing.

“And it’s not like I’ve seen a man naked, either!” Ruby retorted. “You’re not seeing this one yet!”

“Yet, she says,” the man sighed, rolling his eyes. “How you vex me, woman!”

The witch peeked her head out of the door. “I _am_ quite vexing.” She ducked back in to finish changing.

After the banter died down and the two were ready, they headed out to the police station for the reports. A deputy came out to greet them, taking them to a small office where they could discuss the case in private.

“Deputy Calvert,” Adam began, “What can you tell us about the victims?”

The deputy was a man of average build with an affable face and manner, making him relatively easy to talk to. His hair was dirty blonde cut in a high and tight, and Ruby caught what looked like a United States Marine Corp tattoo peeking out from the rolled cuffs of his long sleeves. He looked like he’d just been hard at work on something.

“They all went to college in Mobile, at the University of South Alabama. Looks like they’d been at a party that’d spilled out into the park after hours. When it’s a few kids, we just leave ‘em be if they don’t bother no one,” Calvert told them. “But when there was some screamin’, well, we got called out to look.”

“Screaming? Care to elaborate?” Ruby asked, looking over the report.

“Yes, ma’am,” the deputy said politely. “We had a couple who said they saw some woman grab one of their friends. The tried to approach the woman, see if she was lost or somethin’. Their friend though, he went runnin’ like it was a ghost, an’ they said they saw the woman vanish an’ appear by the guy and drag him off. Personally, I think they were high on shrooms, but their buddy was one of the dead we picked up next day. Two others were students at the party, but they weren’t friends of theirs.”

The deputy went over some other details. The corpses were all bound the same way, with the most striking being that their wrists were bound together and then around their necks with their fists forcing their mouths shut, almost like they were punching themselves under the jaw. Their legs were trussed like a Beef Wellington ready to go into the oven.

They thanked the deputy and took their copies of the report, deciding next that the coroner and medical examiner was the best bet. It wasn’t a long drive, making it in time to meet with the coroner. As they walked in, Ruby looked over a beat up but intact 1971 Chevelle SS.

“Poor thing, your owner needs to clean you up good,” she commented as they walked in. Something about it seemed familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

A clerk greeted them. He was a bookish type, with long hair on top, almost styled into a pompadour, but with tortoise shell glasses that made his pale face look small. “Hello Agents. Deputy Calvert said you were on your way. Dr Stokes is ready for you. I’ll take you to see them.”

“Thank you,” Ruby said. She and Adam follows the clerk down a hallway lined with offices and downstairs and out to a room at the very end. Once that task was done, the clerk gave them both polite nods and returned to his duties.

The person who greeted them was of slender build, standing roughly at six feet tall, with long jet black hair braided tightly into almost severe twin Dutch braids gathered into a knot at the back. Their skin was deeply tanned, signifying them as Native American, possibly Creek given the area. Dr Quinn Stoke’s appearance was completely androgynous. With a pleasant if tired smile, the coroner welcomed them in.

“I’m sure as you know, corners and medical examiners are often one and the same, and so that’s my duty.” They reached out to shake hands with the “agents”.

“I’m Agent Martell,” Ruby said, shaking the coroner’s hand. “This is my partner, Agent Stark. Dr Stoke, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Please, call me Quinn, though you should hear all the ‘Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman’ jokes I get,” they replied with just a hint of exasperation.

“None of that from us, on my honor,” Adam promised, even doing a playful cross of his heart.

“So, you want to see the corpses?” Quinn asked, reaching for a box of nitrile examination gloves. “They’re in various states of, well...” They paused. “You’ll see.”

The turned to open a freezer vault, pulling out the youngest victim, a young man. There was an entire leg missing, but the one that remained clearly showed the rope marks as if they’d been burned into the skin. “The markings are consistent with rope burn, but I don’t see how it could be so deep with the way. And before you ask, the leg was bitten off, markings consistent with an alligator. They can be bastards here with stray pets and the like.”

“I believe it,” Ruby said, looking the body over. “In my line of work, I’ve seen all kinds of animal mauling. What we’re curious about it the actual cause of death. We saw the quote where you said they were dead before they hit the water.”

Quinn nodded, brow furrowing in frustration. “All indicators lead to a heart attack that happened before they hit the water. Cardiac arrest from drowning looks different than a straight up stress-related heart attack. See the bruising? These kids were tortured and frightened, died, and then were thrown into Mobile Bay.”

“And you can tell all of that specifically from you examination?” Adam asked. “There was nothing about torture in the police reports. How did you find that out?”

Quinn looked up at them with a sly, knowing smile. “The same way I know you two are _not_ Federal agents. You’re hunters. You both have been dead and resurrected.” They actually gave a light laugh at the pair’s matching stunned expression. “I know because I am a Shaman, or as you would call it, a psychic.”


	19. Hyperdrive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The map may be flat, the globe may be patched  
>  But the long line keeps right on hooking   
> Circles in the ring of fire, where do you go   
> On a night that is clear and warm?   
> Oh where do you go?_
> 
> Hyperdrive - Jefferson Starship

“A psychic?” Ruby repeated. “Well, shit.”

Quinn laughed at that. “I never really ascribed much to the whole ‘shaman’ moniker, but it’s kinda accurate in a a broad sense. I’m not Alekta, a religious leader. I always knew I was different, and not just because my body was composed of a blend of parts.” They shrugged.“There was another hunger, but I turned him away, told him to come back tomorrow and let him take copies of the photos. Grumpy fellow.”

“There’s another hunter?” Adam asked. He frowned sharply. He didn’t want to run afoul of anyone who might be distrustful of working with others. Then again, it could be someone who knew his brothers.

“I’m sure you’ll run into him since he was parked outside when you got here,” Quinn shrugged. “So before we go deeper, mind telling me your real names? I’m not going to pry.”

“Adam Winchester,” the man replied, offering an apologetic smile.

“You were not always so. Died in one life, reborn as another. I can dig,” the coroner said with an almost approving look. “And you?” They turned to Ruby.

“I’m just Ruby.” She shrugged.

Quinn’s eyes narrowed, and they put the corpse away and removed the nitrile gloves, disposing of them in a biohazard bin. With steady hands, they reached for Ruby’s, eyes closed in concentration.

“Ghosts of an old life follow you, even here. You must proceed without fear. Don’t feel you have to protect your heart so much,” they told her, eyes opening to meet the witch’s.

“I...” Ruby trailed off, and unbidden, the memory of her daughter came to her mind, then of Luzio, her brother. “I’ll consider it,” she finally said, pushing the painful bitter memories away. “But for now, don’t we have business?”

“We do,” Quinn replied. Ruby had the distinct impression that the psychic still had something left to reveal and was holding it like some Jedi teaching a trainee. “I wondered if the creature responsible might be a Tie-Snake, a kind of water serpent about the size of a diamond python. I threw that out because themarkings on the body are clearly rope from the braided impression. These kids were tied.” Quinn nodded over to an attached room, their office, so they could sit down.

Once they were comfortable, Quinn continued. “I pored over our local legends yesterday, but nothing seems to match this. It could be a ghost of some kind, but the only lore I could find was a Woman in White.”

“It’s consistent with the legends, except the rope thing and the blindfold. Usually they’re just hot women, and it’s usually young kids or men. We had a nineteen year old woman among the bunch,” Adam pointed out.

“And her wounds are the same as the others,” the coroner added. “Do you know of any ghosts that are female, wear white, are blindfolded, and have a bondage kink?”

Ruby let out a snort of laughter, but then she remembered something, a legend from her youth.

“What is it?” Adam asked her, concerned.

“ _La Borda_ ,” Ruby said. “My mother used to sing a lullaby.” She thought it over, and then started singing the lullaby in an older form of Italian under her breath. One she was sure she remembered it, she translated it, speaking the words instead of singing.

“Lullaby, the Borda  
binds beautiful children with a rope.  
With a rope and a cord,  
binds the beautiful children and then holds them,  
with a rope and a string,  
binds the beautiful children and then kills them.”

“Well then, I can tell you that all three of the victims were pretty good-looking based on their social media profiles,” Quinn said, pulling up the images they’d downloaded. All of them had Instagram accounts, but not as influencers. They were just really aesthetically pleasing people.

“That sounds pretty close,” Adam said, “but how does an Italian ghost make it to the Gulf Coast? And what exactly are they other than what the song says?”

“My mother would tell me La Borda loves the fog and the wet, and she would find those of beautiful countenance and evil heart and take them, especially if they showed fear of her. We were told as children if we were disobedient, she would take us from our beds and kill us, like some kind of bogeyman.” Ruby reached to stroke the pendant Rowena gifted her, focusing her thoughts a bit. “I wouldn’t say something like that isn’t real, not with what we’ve experienced. I’ve just never heard of a Borda in the US.”

“Do you have a lot of experience with monsters?” Adam asked Quinn.

“Not as you do, no. I’m not a hunter or much of a fighter, though I’ve had to grow up tough, being what and who I am,” the coroner replied, sadness touching their eyes for a brief moment. “White folks didn’t just bring disease and Colonialism, you know. They brought their ghosts and their monsters. If I find a ghost, I try to send them on, but that’s about it.” They heaved a heavy sigh. “There are so many ghosts, especially those of my people, and not all of them want to rest.”

“I get it,” Ruby said. “It’s been like that since I was a little girl, and that was centuries ago. It sucks, and it’s still happening. The average person doesn’t even realize how complicit they are, and they don’t care.” She shrugged. “So then, were there any other sightings?”

“One just last night, a security guard said he saw a woman, but when he went to inspect, she was gone,” Quinn replied with a shrug.

“I think we need to go see what’s up with that then,” Adam said. “I mean, if this is a Borda like Ruby described, then we need to figure out how to stop her and how she got here. I mean, is there a huge Italian presence in the bluff and swamps of Alabama?”

“This isn’t exactly the swamp, not yet,” Quinn told him with a roll of their eyes. “But yeah, no. Baldwin County itself has a pretty decent Italian presence. They were trying to create an ‘American Italy’ in the 1840s.”

“Read a book, Adam,” Ruby teased.

“You probably didn’t know that either,” he retorted.

Ruby rolled her eyes dramatically for effect. “At any rate, it looks like we have our work cut out for us. Quinn, thank you so much for your help. Here’s my number. Text me if you get anything?”

“You text me, too.” Quinn entered the number and sent Ruby a text to pass on their number. “I don’t want to see more young bodies like this in my lockers.”

“I don’t think anyone wants that,” Adam said in agreement, and he shook the coroner’s hand as he rose. Ruby did the same next.

The two of them headed out after that, and Ruby noticed that the Chevelle was gone. “Looks like the competition booted already. Think we’ll bump into him?”

“Not gonna lie, wouldn’t hurt to have help, but it also could complicate things,” Adam replied, moving to the passenger side.

Ruby started up The Boss’s engine, still reveling in that deep rumble of the motor. “If we met him, we meet him. If we don’t, we don’t. I’m just hoping nothing happens to the guy.”

The pair stopped for dinner at a Waffle House, and Ruby discovered that she liked grits with butter and her hash browns covered and smothered, much to Adam’s amusement.

“It’s not like I needed to eat as a demon, and we didn’t have this kind of food when I was alive before,” she pointed out.

“I just think it’s funny and a bit adorable seeing you trying all kinds of different foods,” Adam said, an affectionate expression in his eyes for just a moment. “You’ve only been back for a few months now, right?”

“Yeah,” Ruby said, “and you know, everything is new. As a demon, I really didn’t taste complex things, but now, it’s all so good. Well, a lot of it is good. I’ve tried some things I don’t care for.”

“Like?” Adam prompted.

“Anything with dill. Bell peppers. Yellow mustard. Raw onions,” the witch said, naming off a few things. “But even those can be good in the right dish.”

“Huh.” The other hunter looked at her thoughtfully, filing that away for later. “Remind me to take you on some food adventures.”

“Asking me on a _date_ , Winchester?” Ruby teased, winking.

Adam smirked, but then his expression turned completely series, and he met her eyes . “Watch it. I might someday.”

Ruby paused, spoon half-raised to her lips, her eyes locked on his. “I...”

The hunter held the gaze a moment longer, and then he sat back on the seat with a broad grin. “You should see your face. _Priceless_.”

Ruby grabbed a clean napkin and threw it at him. “You _dick_ ,” she told him, but she couldn’t help but grin. “Just you wait. Vengeance will be mine!”

Adam laughed, thought it did seem there was something Ruby couldn’t recognize just behind his eyes. “We’ll see.”

With a dramatic sigh, Ruby tucked back into her food, already plotting her revenge.

After they’d paid for dinner, they drove out to Belrose Park to investigate the area. The temperature dropped a bit as the sun dropped, and already the fog began to roll in. These were the conditions they wanted given the ghost’s proclivity for fog and wetlands. Each hunter had a flashlight in hand, and Ruby was particularly glad she’d invested in a pair of nice heavy military-grade torches. She had a band of iron attached around the head of both of their flashlights, so that while it wasn’t an cast iron crowbar, it’d still disrupt a ghost enough to get out of the way.

“I wonder how a Borda would get over here if they’re specifically Italian, though. Does one get made? Does some Italian lady get super pissed, dies, and then comes back as one? Are they vengeful ghosts?” Adam wondered aloud, finding a place to sit while they waited for the sun to finish setting.

“To be honest, I don’t know,” Ruby replied. “My mother would tell me that she was disobedient to her husband, and so she punishes other disobedient people, those of wicked heart.” She closed her eyes for a moment.

_“My love, you must be a good girl, and grow to be a good wife. Marry better than your father is, may God have mercy on me for those words,” Gemma said, stroking the ten year old Rubina’s long black hair. “Tomorrow I may not return, for your father believes me to have been unfaithful.” She looked mournfully at her broken, splinted foot. “Please believe that I have not.” Her voice shook with rage._

_“I would never think it, mother,” Rubina said, eyes full of tears. She looked over her mother, dressed in what was once a white shift, stained brown from years of wear. In her mothers hand was a small bronze box._

_“This box. Keep it safe. When you are old enough, take the jewelry in it, sell it, and leave this place. Do not look back.” Gemma might have said more, but then Soren, Rubina’s father burst in._

_“You have been hiding this from me, wicked woman!” With a roar, he lunged at the woman, tearing the box from his daughter’s hands, and drug Gemma out of her chair by her arm. Rubina could hear her mothers screams as Soren drug her out._

“Earth to Ruby,” Adam said, shaking her a little. “You in there somewhere?”

“Lost in thought,” the former demon replied. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind one ear. “I was thinking of the last time I saw my mother. Adam, I have an odd feeling about all of this.

“Odd, not bad? I don’t know what sounds worse,” the other hunter told her. “Well, sun’s almost setting. You know, Sam told me that Dean always wanted to come out to the beach. Not like the rocky hillside beaches, but the real beach, like here on the Gulf Coast, with white sandy beaches and beautiful waves.”

“Maybe they have beautiful sandy beaches upstairs,” Ruby told him, reaching out to squeeze Adam’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s get to work.” She led the way down the long stairs leading to the shore.

They wandered along the shore as the fog rolled in, but for the next thirty minutes of searching the shore, there was no female apparition. On Adam’s suggestion, they headed back towards a thinly wooded area where the fog seemed to be loosely trapped in pockets between the pines and bunches of tall common reeds near some picnic tables. Further past that, the trees grew a bit thicker, and so did the fog, making it very difficult to see more than a couple of meters in front of each hunter.

It was then that the hunters saw her. She stood between two trees, the fog clearing around her as she floated there, making herself visible. The apparition wore a long white shift, tattered at the ends. Her skin was pale, nearly grey, bruised, and shriveled as if she’d been in water for a long time. Frayed ropes were tied to her wrists and around her neck, indicating she’d clearly been bound by them once. Perhaps she’d been barefoot, but it was impossible to tell as it looked like her legs turned into fog halfway down her bruised calves.

“ _La Borda_ ,” Ruby whispered, finding herself transfixed.

Adam nudged his partner. “She’s not moving. Not even attacking.”

“You don’t have evil in your heart, Adam,” the witch said. “Wait here, cover me. Rock salt rounds.”

Without waiting for any agreement, Ruby approached, keeping her flashlight out, but no other weapon drawn. When’s she spoke to the creature, it was in her mother tongue, the old Italian of the 14th century.

“ _La Borda_ , who has harmed you? How do we put you to rest?” she asked it. She wondered if Sam or Dean ever had to talk to ghosts. Probably.

“I can’t believe you’re talking to this thing,” the witch could hear Adam mutter while she was still in earshot. Choosing to ignore him, Ruby continued.

“Your suffering can end. You’re far from home. Let us help you rest,” she said, ignoring the shake in her voice as she approached. There was something familiar in the ghost’s bone structure, the hang of her shoulders, the position of her body — a pang of loss and a flash of memory rose.

The Borda only reached out with one frail arm, gracefully turning her hand upward to beckon the former demon closer.

She was only a few meters from the apparition now, and suddenly, she knew.

“ _Rubina_ ,” the ghost spoke.

Ruby gulped hard, tears in her eyes.

“ _Mamma_.”


	20. Philomena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If you see my mother  
>  Please give her all of my love  
> For she has a heart of gold there  
> As good as God above  
> If you see my mother  
> Tell her I'm keeping fine  
> Tell her that I love her  
> And I'll try and write sometime_
> 
> Philomena - Thin Lizzy

“ _Sì_.” The voice sounded as if it came from underwater, gurgling and choked, but it was the voice of Gemma, Ruby’s mother. This time, it was the Borda that moved forward, that same extended hand reaching out to touch her reborn child. The ropes attached to her body moved as if they were an extension of the ghost, starting to circle around Ruby like a mother’s embrace.

“ _Mamma_ ,” Ruby repeated, reaching out with her free hand. She could hear Adam yelling from behind her, but she didn’t care. Her mother was here and in front of her. But how did this happen?

“Did father do this to you?” she asked the ghost in their mother tongue. “He killed you and dropped you in the lake. Oh, _Mamma_ , no.”

“Find it,” Gemma gurgled, dark water pouring from her mouth as she grew more agitated. “Find it. Find it. Find it.” The outreached hand grew long claws from the fingertips, enough to graze where Ruby’s shoulder and neck met.

“ _Mamma_ , fight it! You don’t have to — NO!” Ruby cried out another clawed hand lifted and lowered as if to strike her. Before that could happen, however, a swipe of something stiff and black came down, and the ghost vanished into puffs of dark fog before dissipating. “You asshole!” She took a swing with her fist at whoever wielded the metal bar.

“Hey, hold on there, y’idjit! I just saved your life!” a familiar voice called out. And older man stepped out of the fog, a crowbar hefted and resting on his shoulder. He wore old faded jeans, a t-shirt with a brown and grey flannel over it, topped with a worn army jacket. On his head sat a well-worn trucker hat with the name an logo faded into an indistinguishable mass of colors and shapes. It might have had an eagle on it once.

Ruby gave him an incredulous look. “Bobby?”

The older man returned the look right back. “No clue who you are, so you musta known this world’s Bobby Singer,” he said, a bit exasperated. “You a friend of the Winchesters?” he asked.

“This is Adam, Sam’s younger brother,” Ruby said.

“Winchester, was Milligan. Long story,” Adam said, looking around. “Is the ghost going to come back? Ruby, what the _hell_ were you doing?”

“Seriously, you were about to get yourself grabbed,” Bobby chided.

Ruby let out a sigh, her shock fading into something far sadder and nostalgic. “That ghost, _La Borda_ , is my mother. Or she was. She _recognized_ me!” She turned on her heel, cursing under her breath as the fog started to break and clear. “No, no, no, NO!” She started running off, chasing the fog.

“She hasn’t been wrong before,” Adam told Bobby, running off after the former demon.

“Balls!” Bobby exclaimed, setting off after the pair, though a bit more slowly. He just wasn’t as spry as he once was. His cursing was hidden under heavy breathing.

When Ruby finally stopped, the thick fog completely cleared, leaving only a low misting on the ground. She didn’t seem to recognize that anyone else was around until Adam put a firm but gentle hand on the back of her shoulder.

“Hey,” he said softly, concern in his voice. “Let’s get somewhere not-damp and talk about this. We definitely have a couple of layers of complication now.”

“Ya think?” Bobby told them, catching up. “I’m not letting either of you two outta my sight until you tell me what you know and we come up with a plan. How green are you you two?”

“I was born in the 14th century,” Ruby told him. “Adam was Michael’s vessel and has been resurrected twice.”

Bobby looked from one to another, only mildly surprised, but he shook his head, eyes rolling skyward. “Of course. Well, if I can come here from another reality, I guess you two idjits can be whatever you said you are. Come on.” He stalked off, and all the pair of hunters could do was look baffled and follow after him this time.

“Another universe?” Ruby asked after the older man’s back. “I knew they existed, but how to did you get to this one?”

“Well, long story, but it involved Sam and Dean and their mama, some sacrifices, and a bunch of us from that world playin’ refugee in this one,” Bobby explained as they went back up the steps towards the parking area. He moved towards a familiar car.

“So the Chevelle is yours,” Ruby realized, amused they’d parked close to each other. He must have arrived a little after they did.

“Yeah, and it was my counterpart’s here, so it felt right keepin’ it,” the older hunter explained. “Right, so there’s a Waffle House up the way. Meet you kids there.” He looked Ruby’s car over appreciatively. “Boss 302. Very nice. Good taste, though I’ve always been more of a Chevy guy.”

“We can’t all be perfect,” the witch retorted with a smirk as she opened her door. Adam, for his part, just looked entirely too amused at the banter.

“Sure thing, Miss ‘Fix Often, Repair Daily’,” Bobby snapped back. “Or is it ‘Found On Road Dead’?” Before Ruby could answer, he’d shut the door and started the Chevelle’s engine. Even if the thing looked like junkyard scrap, that engine was still a powerhouse.

Ruby rolled her eyes and got in her Mustang, starting up. “He insulted The Boss. Rude.” She was, however, content to let Bobby drive off first.

“I think I like him. He’s a lot like the old Bobby,” she told Adam, finally pulling out to follow the beat up Chevy.

“I remember Bobby, and yeah,” Adam said. “Sam said their Bobby died pretty violently and spent time as a vengeful ghost himself. He did say there was another Bobby running around, but I guess it didn’t make sense until just now.”

“Has to be hard having someone around who looks so much like someone you love, sound like him, act like him, and not actually be him. Not even know you,” Ruby observed, driving with her eyes focused on the road.

“Or seeing your mother as a ghost, especially one like that,” Adam told her, sympathy in his voice. “Did she die badly?”

The witch didn’t say anything for a long moment. “My father took her out and murdered her and dumped her body in a pond. He sold her jewels that she was going to give me to escape, and he put me in servitude at the church. The man was insane, always drinking whatever he could. I... I found about what he did one night while he was roaring drunk on stolen sacramental wine.”

“Shit,” Adam said softly. “That’s really messed up. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be done about it now other than find what’s got my mother tied to this plane and send her to Heaven.” Ruby said it a bit more sharply than she intended, but she didn’t apologize. Her emotions were very raw, even centuries later. “And then, there’s why.”

“Why?” her passenger asked. “Why what?”

“Why my mother, and why I’m here, and why this all feels like a set up,” she told him. “If she was going to haunt a place, it’d be where she died. Someone had to have brought something she’s tied to here.”

“So either it’s a huge coincidence or someone really hates you,” Adam surmised. He let out a sigh, but said nothing else until they reached the Waffle House where Bobby stood outside waiting for them.

“Good thing these places are 24/7,” Bobby told them by way of greeting. “You ever hear of the ‘Waffle House Index’?”

Ruby shook her head, looking at Adam who did the same. They followed him in, following him over to an empty booth.

“Well, you know somethin’ terrible’s happening when a Waffle House closes for any weather, like a hurricane or tornado,” he told them. “So tell me, is this ghost thing Waffle House Index levels of bad?”

Ruby didn’t say anything until there was a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, milky and sweet the way she liked it. “I told Adam some, and it’s pretty personal, but here’s the basics. When I was a kid, ten years old, my mother was murdered. I found out later her body had been dumped in a pond a bit away from our home. There were other losses; I sold my soul after to become a witch and died sometime after.”

“You were a demon,” Bobby said flatly. “And now you’re not?”

“Sam made me drink Holy Water,” Ruby replied. “Look, I died as a demon on my own knife, went to the Empty, where demons, angels, gods, whatever go that aren’t monsters or human. I dreamed for so long, and then Castiel showed up to ask me a question. I asked him to try to get me out of there. I didn’t make him promise, but he kept it all the same.”

“And now someone’s brought your mom’s vengeful spirit here, like you’re being called out,” Adam said. Silence again shadowed the table when food arrived, and then he continued. “No one knows you’re here, though. Don’t have any old demon buddies that know you’re around?”

“I killed all the ones that recognized me,” Ruby told him. “At least I’m sure I did. This is nuts.”

“Well, let’s look at the stuff we can do something about,” Bobby interjected. “A ghost is almost always tied to something. Did she have any kind of possession she was tied to? Did they pull her body outta that pond?”

Ruby forced herself to remember, staring into her cup of coffee.

_Rubina looked over the corpse, the remains bloated and almost unrecognizable. She looked over at her father. “Papà? Is this Mamma?”_

_The large grizzled farmer looked at his daughter, a cold expression settling in his eyes. “Your Mamma’s gone to Heaven, bambina,” he said firmly. “This shell was set in unconsecrated land. We burn it.” He reached into an inner pocket in his coat, pulling out a lock of raven hair, just like Rubina’s. A gentle kiss was placed on it, and he tucked it away. There was a peek of bronze visible from the deep pocket, but she couldn’t make out what it was._

“My father burned her body after she was pulled from the pond,” Ruby said finally, drinking her coffee. “He did it rather than having her buried on consecrated land. I remember he had a lock of her hair. Maybe it’s still intact.” _Did he do this to her? Did he curse her when he killed her?_

As if mirroring her thoughts, Adam spoke up. “So he killed her, like you told me, and it could be possible he purposefully made her what she is.”

“The asshole,” Ruby muttered about the man.

“This is a lot of speculation. Did she have anything precious to her, like a necklace or ring or anything?” Bobby asked, trying to keep the conversation focused.

“He took a box of things my mother had, things that belonged to her mother. He sold the contents, though,” the witch recounted. “Wait. I think he kept the bronze box. Those are really the only two things I can think of.”

“So we need hair or a box, or hair in the box,” Adam said with a sigh. “What exactly did the box look like?”

“It was about this big, maybe as long as two decks of cards, and not very tall. It opened like an eyeglass case, hinged and hand-tooled. It had her name inscribed on it, Gemma,” Ruby explained. “Here.” She reached into her pocket for a pen and sketched it out. She drew in the spade-shaped hinges carefully. “Any of you two see this before?”

Adam looked the sketch over, shaking his head. “I’m not sure that I have, but it’s interesting.”

“Actually, I think I did,” Bobby said after a moment. “The Daphne Art Center is having a display of a private collection of bronze artifacts. I had time to kill after my fruitless visit to the Coroner.”

“Quinn was really helpful,” Ruby said. “They said you were grumpy.”

‘Of _course_ ,” the older man said with a snort. “But we get there early enough in the morning, we can look at it.”

“Or we can break in and look at it ourselves,” Adam pointed out, looking through his phone. “The place doesn’t have the best security on it, just by the looks, and, well, Ruby’s a witch. Isn’t there magic to be stealthy?”

The witch bit her lip, trying not to be annoyed. “Yes, but it doesn’t turn someone invisible or anything like that. I can break locks with it.”

“And there’s probably guards, so you might be better for distracting them with magic. Let the young man here do the dirty work,” Bobby suggested.

“So we have a plan,” Ruby said, and with that, she finished her coffee.


	21. Engel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Who in their lifetime is good on Earth  
>  Will become an angel after death  
> You look to the sky and ask  
> Why can't you see them_
> 
> _Only once the clouds have gone to sleep  
>  Can you see us in the sky  
> We are afraid and alone  
> Because God knows I don't want to be an angel_
> 
> Engel - Rammstein

“You owe me, witch,” Adam told Ruby without any real heat. He glanced over at her while she prepared a few ingredients.

“You’ll have the esteemed Mr Singer playing interference over there,” she told him, nodding over to the other side of the property. “Pop this needle in the lock, use the magic word, and you’re in. Find the box, bring it back, and we’ll GTFO.”

“I like the ‘GTFO’ part,” Adam told her. “I have a bad feeling about this, Ruby.”

“That bad feeling comes with our chosen line of work,” the witch told him with a snarky grin. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Holding you to that, lady,” the hunter told her, and he threw on a ball cap and set out towards the building.

Ruby threw a lit match into her small bowl of ingredients, watching as it glowed a steady combination of sky and cobalt blues. From it, smoke poured out, snaking towards a pair of security guards walking in opposite directions. The two sank to their knees, slumping over as the sleep spell took them. On cue, Bobby came out, dragging the two guards away and out of sight, and he stood guard while Adam bypassed the locking mechanism with Ruby’s needle.

She waited in the shadows, using a little spark to show Bobby where she was, and he soon snuck around to join her.

“That’s some spell you’ve got,” he whispered, glancing at the burning contents of her copper bowl.

“It’s a very old one, but it’s a good non-lethal sleeping spell,” the witch replied, nodding at the compliment from the older hunter. “I hope Adam can find the box and get out quickly. He said he had a bad feeling, and to be honest, I do, too. There’s something I’m missing.”

“Think there’s some purpose to that ghost bein’ your mom?” Bobby wondered, eyes back to being trained on the scene in front of them.

“Yeah. It makes me wonder who else of my family is around in one way or another,” she replied, fanning the fire a bit to keep it going.

“Well, we know about your mom. Have any other kin? Your dad?” the older hunter pressed. Ruby would have been annoyed, but she knew the questions were pertinent.

“My dad died violently,” she answered, not telling him she’s the one that did it. “I had a daughter, sold to some barren aristocrat. I found she died of plague about four years after she was taken from me. My brother Luzio left when I did. I don’t know how he died.” She let out a long sigh. “Luzio was so good to me. He helped me escape.”

“Sounds like your brother was a quality person,” Bobby told her gently. He gave her a sympathetic look, but she didn’t see it. Here eyes narrowed, staring at the door Adam entered only ten minutes before.

“He’s not alone in there,” Ruby said, reaching for her pendant. “Shit! A demon!” She doused her flame and jumped out of the hiding place, tailed by Bobby.

“I told you, asshole, I’m not — Oh, hi, Ruby,” Adam choked out. He was held up by his throat by a burly man, tall, appearing to be in his mid-forties. His long jet black hair was tied in a ponytail at his nape, olive skin smooth. Everything about him seemed to be well-manicured and effortless.

“There she is, my _bambina_ ,” the man said, looking over at Ruby without letting her partner down. She noted that the bronze box was under Adam’s feet, likely having been dropped there when Adam was attacked.

“I’m here. Let Adam go,” Ruby demanded, making sure her knife would be easy to reach. “What do you have to do with that box, and what do you want with me?”

The man let out an eerily familiar grin, the expression one of an unsettling malice and and desire. “What’s wrong, _Rubina_ , you don’t recognize me? As if I wouldn’t have known about poor Gemma’s fate? I was there, you know. I made it happen.”

“ _Papà_?” Ruby managed, eyes wide. “No, you’re dead.”

The man laughed, throwing his head back, though he never let go of his hostage. “After you killed me, you mean? Oh, all that did was call my deal due. Thanks. You saved me from the Hellhounds, pretty girl. I came to return the favor. Rumor was that you were a demon, but you don’t look like much of a demon anymore.”

The former demon froze, eyes wide. “You made a deal. And you made it while mother was alive.”

“Oh yeah, did you like your present? I thought I’d like to see her again,” Soren told her. “Ah, no party crashing.” He flicked his wrist, and a wave of telekinetic energy shot past Ruby and knocked the approaching Bobby into the wall, knocking him out.

“You _asshole_! Leave them out of it. Put Adam down.” Ruby reached for her knife, producing it. “Now.”

“You, daughter, don’t get to tell your old man what to do,” Soren countered, and with a truly disconcertingly evil grin, he snapped Adam’s neck and threw him aside.

Ruby wasted no time, and she rushed in, finding herself far more incensed than she’d ever found herself before. With what she saw her father do to Adam, her vision didn’t go red, it went white-hot like the brightest burning sun. The demon didn’t have time to react while he was still gloating, but he was able to block the witch’s knife with his forearm, crying out from the pain, but it was enough to protect him so he could send his daughter flying.

Ruby managed to keep her grip on her knife, blinking the double vision away from where she hit her head. Before she knew it, though, the demon had her lifted by her jacket with one hand.

“I hoped our reunion would have been better than this. I remember what you did to me, poisoning my drink with belladonna and slitting my throat,” he said, his face close to hers. He stroked her hair with his free bloody hand. “My witch daughter, my ghost wife, and me.”

“W-what was your d-deal?” the witch managed, still seething and fighting off her grief.

“My deal was your mother as my bride. The deal didn’t make her love me, though. I wanted a son, and I got him, but the ingrate sided with _you_.” With incredible strength, he lifted Ruby higher and slammed her back into the wall, banging her head hard enough to bring back the stars she’d just chased off. “And the bitch had to deny me another son! She denied me you.”

“Didn’t stop you from getting what you wanted, you absolute tool,” the former demon snarled in return. “You killed...”

“What, your little boyfriend? See, I’m gonna kill you, too, and bring you back like your mama,” Soren said with wicked glee. He pulled Ruby back close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

_“No, Papà, please!” Rubina cried out, trying to push him off and away._

Ruby pulled at his jacket, trying to keep her wits about her. She hoped the demon who was once her father would think all she was doing was struggling, but she found what she was looking for. Her trembling hands felt like they were losing sensation, but she gripped the box, pulling it out.

“ _Mamma_!” she called out, using what magic she could summon.

“Mommy won’t save you, _Rubina_ ,” Soren told her. He couldn’t reach the box as Ruby held it away, not with his other hand that gripped her jacket. Instead, he shoved his free hand into her side, breaking the rubs and puncturing her gut. Ruby slumped down, gripping the wound to stop the bleeding. Her lips moved, stuttering over the spell.

From next to where Ruby lay, the door burst open, and thick fog came rolling in, bringing a floating figure clad in white. The Borda made a low mournful sound as she passed her fallen daughter, but her true target was before her.

The demon couldn’t fight off the spectral ropes that wrapped themselves around him, tying his arms back and wrapping his legs like a trussed bird. Soren screamed an unearthly cry as the shoulders of his meatsuit were dislocated with the pressure of the binding. He opened his mouth to smoke out of the body, but he found he was locked in his body as Ruby continued her chanting.

Summoning all of her energy, Ruby pulled herself to her feet, taking her knife in hand as she stumbled forward, eyes locked on the demon.

“I have no father. I _never_ had a father. Say hello to The Empty for me,” she told him, and before he could reply or react in any way other than abject terror, she plunged the knife into his heart, smiling in satisfaction as the demon inside burned way, leaving a broken corpse.

She fell over then, the loss of blood too much. The box was there, just out of reach, and Ruby slid towards it, opening it. If she was going to die, she would liberate the person who first gave her life.

“ _Ti voglio bene mamma. Riposa ora._ ” With the last of her strength, Ruby summoned fire to burn the lock of hair inside the box.

“ _Grazie, carissima._ ” A gentle hand fell over the dying woman’s forehead, and then Gemma was gone.

Closing her eyes, Ruby willed herself to follow.

“ _No! No, you don’t_ ,” a voice told her, echoing from somewhere distant.

She tried to ignore it. Instead she saw a road. A car. A green Coleman cooler.

_Come on, pick me up. I’m so tired._

“ _I know you want to rest, but he doesn’t want to let you go yet,_ ” a familiar gruff voice said, speaking directly into her mind. Something wrapped around her from behind, forming into something that felt like strong arms clad in heavy cotton Gabardine Drill. Another sensation enclosed her, feeling like wings.

“ _We didn’t bring you back for you to die so soon_ ,” he added gently, still holding tightly and protectively.

“ _It hurts!_ ” Ruby cried out. “ _I’m tired of remembering! I want it to be over!_ ”

She felt the hold around her tighten. “ _Death isn’t an ending, only a transition. It’s not your time._ ”

“Come on, Ruby, it’s not your time!” another clearer voice called out, and she felt a warmth at her midsection accompanied by the itching feeling of her skin and ribs knitting back together. She could feel the relief from the healer as she groaned in pain.

“She’s comin’ around, kid. Keep up whatever you’re doing,” she could hear Bobby saying, and Ruby cracked open her eyes.

“Adam,” Ruby said, his name more of a breath than a word as she said it. When she looked at him, their eyes met, his glowing with a dim blue light. “Not... dead?”

“I got better, “ he told her gently. “We had to get out of there before the security guards came in. They’re going to be super fired because of us.” With strong arms, he scooped her up. “Hey, Bobby, follow us to our hotel?”

“Yeah, kid, sure. But you’re gonna tell us why you pulled some angel shit just now,” the gruff older hunter demanded.

“I promise,” Adam said, voice sincere. “Let’s get her out of here.”

“Mom’s box,” Ruby managed. “My knife.”

“I have them both. Just rest now,” the hunter told her. “And _please_ don’t hate me.”

She might have protested, but rest actually sounded like a great idea at that moment, and she fell asleep in his arms.

When Ruby woke, she was clean, her hair was damp, and she was dressed in a tank top and sweats with her favorite fuzzy house socks on her feet. She idly wondered how she was changed, but she remembered that Adam had a medical background and would have been clinical about things.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” he said, getting up from where he sat across the room. “We have some Krispy Kreme if you’re hungry. You’ll need some sugars.”

“You changed my clothes?” Ruby asked, sitting up.

“Well, left the underwear on, but yeah. Had to get the blood off you and out of your hair,” he replied, but then he laughed when the witch sat up in bed, reached her hands under her shirt behind her back, and unhooked her bra. In the next moment, it went flying across the room.

“Well, that ain’t happened in a while,” Bobby said from the direction the bra went. He laughed as the witch blushed bright red, pulling the black lace satin off of his head to drop on top of Ruby’s travel bag.

“Oops,” Ruby told him, trying to get her embarrassment under control. She swayed a bit, but there was a steady hand on her back a Adam supported her.

“Doughnut. Eat,” he demanded, putting a custard-filled chocolate-iced doughnut in front of her.

“Not arguing,” Ruby muttered, going to eat carefully.

“Okay, so she’s awake. What was that angel crap you did, boy?” Bobby demanded, eyes narrowing. “I ain’t exactly on the best of terms with Heaven’s muscle. Which angel are you who’s pretending to be a Winchester?”

”You have it wrong,” he said.Adam shook his head, muttered an apology, and he started to explain.


	22. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Now, the bricks lay on Grand Street  
>  Where the neon madmen climb  
> They all fall there so perfectly  
> It all seems so well timed  
> An' here I sit so patiently  
> Waiting to find out what price  
> You have to pay to get out of  
> Going through all these things twice_
> 
> _Oh, Mama, is this really the end  
>  To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again?_
> 
> Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again - Bob Dylan

Adam gave the pair an apologetic look. “I’m who I say I am. I’m Adam formerly-Milligan currently-Winchester. I was stuck with Michael for _centuries_ in Hell. I don’t know how or why, but when I came back this time, I was this.”

“But you’re not an angel or I’d have sensed it,” Ruby said, still working on her doughnut. “Do you have actual Grace?”

“I guess,” he replied. “I mean, it’s nothing big, but I always feel like like this warm nugget in my chest that won’t go away. Trust me, I’ve tried to burn it out. I’ve tried to cut it out. I wonder how much of it was because my body was burned away while Michael possessed it or if it was some other odd thing. Did new-God do this on purpose? Can I have him take it away? I’ve prayed, I’ve begged, and all I can think of is that it was forgotten.”

“So you can’t die, and you have angel mojo,” Bobby summarized. “What _can_ you do? Can you do that annoying flappy teleport thing they do?”

Adam shook his head. “No. No wings. Wards don’t work on me. I heal from anything major. I can heal others. I can give a telekinetic shove, but it’s not really that powerful. I can’t smite, but I can make demons hurt. As far as I can tell, I’m under a cherub in terms of power level, but I suppose a bit over regular human. The thing I’ve been trying to do with this power, though, it learn Enochian sigil magic. That, it seems, I have enough juice to power glyphs and the like. Whatever it is I have, though, it seems to always recharge.”

“I don’t know of that’s terrible or wonderful,” Ruby said after a long minute. “I mean, do you _not_ want to be alive?”

The hunter hung his head for a moment, then looked up at the other two people in the room. “I don’t _want_ to die, and I didn’t want to be in the Heaven I got sent to. Now, though, I mean...” He sighed, scrubbing his fingers over his face. “I want to rest. I want to see Dean and tell him I get it. I want to see my mom.”

Bobby fixed Adam with a long stare, but it wasn’t without sympathy. “We all got people we lost, kid. We keep fightin’ until we see ‘em again.”

Adam nodded. “I tell myself that. I told Sam that when we talked. The thing is, I was given this chance to try to do something good. I was so intent on burning myself out when I met Ruby at the Bunker.”

“You said you were coming back regularly to see if your brothers would return,” Ruby offered. “Right?”

“Yeah,” came the confirmation. “I was lonely. I met people, but no one understands this world we live in. Hunting helped work out frustration, and I was doing good things. It’s just that there was something missing. Family.”

“Family,” Ruby repeated. “Well, you have that now. Sam’s where you can visit him.”

“We got a lot of folks who owe your brothers their lives for bringin’ ‘em here,” Bobby told him. “A whole network of people who’d welcome you.”

Adam nodded, a small smile appearing, though he seemed to be fighting off a swell of tears, and he looked up directly at Ruby. “But the first person to welcome me back is this remarkable lady right here.” There was something intense in the way he looked at her, meeting her eyes, that made Ruby flush a bit and dig back into her doughnut.

“I wasn’t going to turn you away,” she said quietly. “You belonged in that bunker far more than I did.”

Bobby looked from one to the other, clearing his throat. “Should I excuse myself so you two can keep making eyes and awkward chatter at each other?”

This was enough to shake both of them from their moment, and Adam let out a shaky laugh. “Well, now _that_ screwed up the moment,” he told the older man cheekily. “Good job, Bobby.”

Ruby snorted and rolled her eyes, finally finishing her doughnut. “You’re an ass,” she told Adam.

“And you’re both idjits,” the older hunter told them, but he gave them both an affectionate grin. “And you know, I think this might be my last hunt. ‘Bout time I settle for a bit, stop livin’ in hotels. Might move to Florida.”

“You could also stay in this area,” Ruby suggested. “Like the warm humidity better?”

“Well, not super warm right now, but yeah. Too cold in Sioux Falls, so I’ve been staying down South. That other me was nuts,” he replied. “The old bones can’t really take it anymore, and well, kids, I’m almost 74. I don’t think I want the glorious warrior’s death. I wanna be one of those old guys who tells kids to get off his lawn.” Bobby smirked at that, showing he was kidding. “But I’ll reach out to Garth and see if I can help him with the phone duties. He’s got his practice and his family to contend with.”

“We should get you Kieran’s info,” Ruby told Bobby. “He lives in Lawrence, where Sam lives. We started talking about setting up some sort of network, and he’s got Garth in already.”

“Well, pass on whatever you need to,” Bobby said, and he took a moment to make sure he had everyone’s contact info and exchanged his own. “Don’t be strangers. Maybe in a couple’a months, I’ll head up to see Sam, Eileen, and Little Dean. Nah, Ruby, don’t get up. You’re still recouping.”

The two made their goodbyes with the older man, and Ruby surprised him with a warm hug. Flustered, Bobby muttered something and headed out to start his retirement.

Alone, Ruby patted the bed next to her. “Come here.”

Adam raised an eyebrow, but he came to sit next to her on the bed. Taking a calculated risk, he cautiously slid his arm behind her back, and Ruby surprised him by leaning in against him.

“What’s this?” he asked her.

“I’m exhausted, a little traumatized, and I trust you,” she told him, not looking up. “You saved my life.”

Adam was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. “You saved mine, too. I wanted to give up. I was ready to cut this power out myself.”

“The world is better with you in it,” she told him sincerely, and this time, she looked up at him. He looked back, giving her a boyish smile, and he moved his free hand to brush the hair from her eyes.

“You know, we could...” Adam’s words were cut off by a knock at the door. The sweet expressions they both wore were switched to concern, and Ruby handed him her knife to go check the door.

Adam slid around, and he looked through the eyehole, but he visibly relaxed when a voice called from the other side.

“I know neither of you are ready for company, and I interrupted something probably very sweet and beautiful, but please let me in.” It was Quinn’s voice calling through the door. Adam returned Ruby’s knife to its sheath and opened the door.

“Hi, Quinn,” Ruby said by way of greeting. “Will you forgive me if I don’t get up?”

“After your ordeal last night, no worries,” the psychic told her. “Actually, your adventure last night is why I’m here. I watched everything play out astrally. I’m really sorry about your mom.” They came over to sit on a chair by the bed and deposited a Gatorade on the bedside table. “For your recovery. But yeah, there wasn’t a lot I could do other than watch. I had no idea about the demon being your dad, just that the Borda was related to you somehow.”

“Well, hopefully Mamma is at peace and my original body’s sperm-donor is living every terrible memory he ever had in The Empty,” Ruby said.

“I can guarantee that much,” Quinn said. “I saw your mother ascend. It was beautiful, truly breathtaking. I’ve never actually seen anything like that before!” The gave Ruby a kind smile.

“Not to be rude, but I have a feeling you came over to tell us something else,” Adam said. “Have a doughnut?” He took one for himself finally, given he’d let Ruby have first pick.

“Thanks,” the psychic said with a grin, reaching for one. “I don’t indulge in Krispy Kreme too often. The sugar gets me. But yeah, there’s a bit more, things I didn’t see until I could watch the bonds of soul-kinship with Ruby and her folks.”

“‘Bonds of soul-kinship’?” Ruby repeated, raising an eyebrow. She reached for a chocolate-iced cake doughnut next. “Like soulmates?”

Quinn snorted. “No, soulmates are, well, not like what’s in the stories. More on that in a sec. Soul-kinship is from familial bonds. You have them with your blood kin no matter what body they’re in. It’s something that doesn’t affect familial love, but it’s that tie that is formed simply for the fact that your soul is made from a piece of theirs. I don’t know how it works; I’m not even going to try to understand the cosmic metaphysics behind it.”

“Okay, so I’m tied to them. That’s fine. So what about it?” the witch wanted to know.

The psychic looked thoughtful as if trying to gather their words to phrase it right. “You have other soul-kin out there in the world. I don’t know if it’s one more more people, but no more than two. I saw it for just a moment when your mom ascended. Did you have any other family, especially ones you were close to?”

Ruby’s expression fell into something more poignant. “My older brother, Luzio. I never saw him again after we both left home. There was my daughter, Isabella, but she died not long after she was taken from me. I mean, we were in the middle of the Black Death, so do the math.”

“So then it he’s the most likely candidate, though I’m not going to discount that your daughter may be somewhere,” Quinn said, munching on their doughnut. “I don’t know what state either are in, but we can do a little psychic questing to find out more.”

“How could my daughter be in the world if I know for a fact that she’s dead?” Ruby wondered, confused. “Why would she come back after so long? Did my father resurrect her?”

Quinn shrugged. “There’s also reincarnation. It doesn’t happen that often, only in cases of souls that might have had unfulfilled potential. Sometimes they’re given a chance to be the person they were meant to be.”

“But would she remember me?” Ruby pressed.

“Based on what I know? Sometimes. Not always. The average reincarnated soul wouldn’t.” Quinn gave Ruby an apologetic look. “But for your brother, he could be a ghost, a demon, a witch — really any one of those things would explain his presence. I’d like you both to come over to my place tonight if you feel up to it.”

Adam had remained silent during this conversation. “Even me?” he asked.

“Especially you. I actually want to give you a psychic examination to see what the hell you are,” Quinn told him. “I felt you when we first met, but I could tell you needed to keep it to yourself.”

Adam looked hopeful at that. “Yeah, I’d like to know. I mean, anything you can tell me about this would be awesome. I’m not in a rush to die or anything, but I’d like to know that I can be done someday.”

“I get that,” Quinn said agreeably. “And I mean, I’m not like some wild _deus ex machina_ , you know, like I can’t solve your issues with a snap of my fingers, but knowledge can lead to it, like diagnosing an illness. What you do with that info is entirely up to you.” They looked thoughtful again for a moment, and a soft smile crossed their smooth androgynous features. “There’s worse fates than being immortal with a friend who is effectively immortal, too.”

Ruby found herself blushing again and was amused to see that Adam was, too. She didn’t know what this was, either the bonds of a hunter partnership, or perhaps something more. It wasn’t that she wanted to hop into bed with him or anything; he attraction wasn’t really sexual, but she found being close to Adam made her happy and comforted her in a way she didn’t know she needed.

“That’s a fair point,” Adam finally said, nodding in agreement. “Ruby’s good company,” he added with a fond smile to his partner.

“You don’t suck,” Ruby replied teasingly, smirking.

“Well, both of you are good people, no matter what you pasts might have been,” Quinn told them both. They took some paper and scribbled an address down, setting it by the sport drink they had previously set on the bedside table. “I’ll see you both around six tonight. Rest up until then, ok?”

“I will. Thank you, Quinn,” Ruby said, and then was pleasantly surprised when the psychic coroner stood and gave the witch a long warm hug. Something about it felt almost fortifying, like her spirits were bolstered.

Quinn went to do the same for Adam, whispering something to the man that Ruby couldn’t hear. He nodded in return, the expression one of determination. Finally, they moved to the door, smiling at the pair.

“See you tonight. I hope you like Cajun food, so come hungry.” With that, they let themselves out and into the day.

Ruby looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know, they never explained what soulmates are.”


	23. Joga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _All that no-one sees  
>  You see  
> What's inside of me  
> Every nerve that hurts  
> You heal  
> Deep inside of me  
> You don't have to speak  
> I feel_
> 
> _Emotional landscapes  
>  They puzzle me  
> Then the riddle gets solved  
> And you push me up to this_
> 
> _State of emergency..._
> 
> Joga - Björk

After a few more hours of resting, Ruby felt much better. While she’d lost a dangerous amount of blood during the prior night’s fight, Adam’s healing and her own magic had her almost back at 100%. She let her hair down for once, opting to just be “girly” for a bit after having been in hunter mode for so long. With Adam in tow, she got back behind the wheel of her car and drove off to meet Quinn at their home.

The house wasn’t very large in comparison to the other houses they pair passed in the area. In fact, it was a 1000 square foot bungalow painted grey with white trim, and there was a bright red door past the raised porch. There were a few smaller homes like it in the area, but this on seemed to reflect Quinn’s personality best, showing touches of her Creek heritage in some of the decorations attached to the home. One that stood out hung just over the front door. It was a long piece of driftwood with the facing side sanded flat. Animals and people were painted in blacks, umbers, and ochre — all intermingled and seeming to cooperate.

Quinn opened the door as they were looking at it. “My own work, blessed to protect my home. Come on in, you two.” They stood aside so the two hunters could enter. Their host wore slim jeans, a black ribbed mock turtleneck with a shell gorget on chain with links made of hammered silver and inset with turquoise.

As promised, there was a spicy meal of jambalaya with sides of sweet honey butter cornbread and fried okra. The conversation was mostly non-business related, learning more about each other as they talked. Quinn talked more about their history, of being born true gonadal intersex and their parents allowing them to grow up without having done any surgical procedures to force a gender on their child. Ruby was completely unfamiliar with it, having not cared as a demon and the concept not really existing when she was alive beforehand. It was fascinating, and Quinn answered her questions thoroughly. Adam, however, having been pre-med before, understood it all quite well.

“I’m not sure what it is, but I feel like it puts me in a unique perspective to bridge the gap in gender disparity, you know?” Quinn told Ruby and Adam as the two helped them clean up dishes. “And as being a psychic, I think it can only help. I had a hard childhood, and there’s still a lot of stigma I face living my truth, but I love who I am. I can’t deny any part of my life, because it denies who I am as a person.”

Ruby considered that. She had regrets over being a demon, for the things she’d done as a demon, but her life right now was pretty good, and she was proud of the things she was doing. For a moment, a tiny piece of scar tissue on her soul seemed to break loose, forming something clean and alive where it had been. Quinn gave the former demon a knowing look and smile.

“Right, so let’s get on with our work now that we’re fed and happy,” Quinn said, and they led the way out to what looked like a a round earthen building that was big enough for six people to sit comfortably inside. It had a metal chimney stack coming directly from the center of it, and it was painted over with more of the same artwork from the driftwood piece over Quinn’s front door to the house.When Ruby touched her pendant, however, she could see glyphs that were protections against demons, and with her magical senses she could feel power from talismans hung from the door posts and windows. Inside the shack were more talismans, wooden and bone frames with leather pieces, others with gut strings and metal icons, and a few more painted driftwood pieces. On the floor inside was a soft circular hide rug dyed with a mandala. It had a hole in the center that encased a sunken fire pit. Ruby immediately saw it as a focus point for magic and psychic work.

“So then, where shall we start? I think looking at Adam here will be easier,” the psychic told them.

“Then we’ll do that,” Ruby said. She took a seat on a cushion on the floor.

Quinn took a moment to light a fire in the central pit, throwing in some sweet-smelling herbs and chanting a few words to charge the flames. They indicated to Adam to bring his cushion closer, and the two faced each other by the pit.

Ruby watched as Quinn put their hands on Adam’s shoulders, and the two fell silent, meeting eye to eye as something wordless passed between them. After around two minutes, Adam’s eyes began to glow with that soft, faint blue light, and Quinn’s shifted to a warmer amber color. The two were locked like this for a solid ten minutes, but to Ruby, the moment seemed eternal. When it seemed they’d be like that forever, the two disengaged, and Quinn slumped over while Adam looked like he’d been hit in the head with a very heavy solid wood baseball bat.

“Wow,” Quinn said finally, regaining their composure. “You are...” the began, frowning as they considered their words. “I really don’t know what you are. There’s something in your soul that’s blended with celestial energy. I’ve never seen the like.”

“Have you encountered an angel before?” Ruby asked. “Because you might be seeing Grace, the power that makes an angel what it is.”

The psychic shrugged. “Maybe that’s what it is. Well, Adam, my dude, you are _something_ else, a new breed. I think you’re going to need someone with far more expertise than I have. I’ll give you my friend’s contact info. He’s an eccentric guy, only contacts me online.” They took out a notepad and wrote down a number to text someone labeled only as “GammaTriX.”

“All right, we’ll check him out.” Adam pocketed the information. “So what about Ruby’s deal? Ghost family stuff?”

“Thanks for putting my dilemma in such succinct terms,” Ruby told Adam drily. “But yeah, what’s going on with that?”

Quinn seemed amused by the pair’s banter, but quickly grew serious. “Right, so Ruby, switch with Mr Winchester here.” Once the two relocated to where the other had been sitting, and Quinn began, placing their hands on the witch’s shoulders as they’d done for Adam.

To Ruby, it felt like spiritual fingers were digging into her soul. To say it was unnerving was an incredible understatement. Still, she tolerated the feeling of Quinn reaching through a little tendril of connection to find where it led. The witch felt like a passenger in her own mind, following along with her guide until there was something so heartbreakingly familiar that she didn’t realize tears were streaming down her face until Quinn returned them both to their bodies, re-grounding them in reality.

“Luzio,” she whispered. “I sensed him, but he seems stressed. I don’t think he’s alive.” Her expression fell. “And I didn’t sense Isabella at all.”

Quinn squeezed the witch’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, and I couldn’t see his situation exactly. All I know is that your hunts will take you in the right direction. Trust your intuition.”

Ruby wanted to roll her eyes. She wanted to tell Quinn how sick she was of ambiguous directions andthe literal chasing of her own personal ghosts. Instead, she sighed and nodded firmly. “Right. Understood. Is it time for booze?” she asked with a weak laugh. “Actually, I think I want to go home and think about things. Thanks for helping us, Quinn, but I think I’m overwhelmed.”

Quinn nodded in understanding. “I get it, trust me. Well, I have some leftovers for y’all to take. I’ll keep in touch with you both. I think you’ll need all the help you can get.” Once the three of them stood, their host went to give both Adam and Ruby a tight hug. “You’re doing good things, both of you. You’re making a difference.”

They did linger for a little longer, accepting a protective talisman each, consisting of a leather bracelet with a metal circular amulet with an intricate insert made of shell. The shells were carved into a floral shape with what looked like a curved sun containing a three-spoked wheel, each spoke curved to give the illusion of motion. Ruby recognized each as a smaller version of the shell gorget that she’d seen around Quinn’s neck when they came in.

Once the two were back at the hotel, Ruby threw off what she was wearing, not even caring that Adam was in the room. She did laugh to herself about him averting his eyes and taking his pajamas to the bathroom to change there. She opted for loose sweatpants and a tank top. When Adam was done in the bathroom, she took time to tend to her nightly hygiene, but after rinsing her face of the soap used to clean off her makeup, she stopped, looking at herself in the mirror.

 _This isn’t my face,_ she thought to herself. _I stole this face from a dead woman. Why was I brought back in this body? Was I supposed to leave Rubina dead and live as Ruby? If that’s the case, then why are the ghosts of my family coming back to haunt me? Will I see Luzio just to tell him goodbye again?_

She was lost in those thoughts until she heard a knock on the bathroom door, and she quickly dried her face, opening it to see a worried Adam standing there.

“You okay? You were quiet in there for a bit,” he asked in a soft, low voice.

“You getting sweet on me, Winchester?” she asked instead, trying and failing to deflect.

“Come on, Ruby, this was a _lot_ to get dumped on you tonight,” Adam countered. “You can talk to me if you want.”

The brunette sighed, and she reached out to flick those few stray hairs on his forehead that always seemed to get in his eyes. “You had a lot dumped on you, too.”

“Shit I already knew, pretty lady,” he told her, reaching to take the hand she’d extended before she withdrew it. His eyes met hers, and he pulled her hand so that he could kiss her knuckles, never looking away as he did so. Ruby felt her heart skip, positive Adam could feel it thudding in her chest. She didn’t want him to let go of her hand, and he didn’t seem like he was in a big hurry to release it. What he did next, however, surprised her.

Adam pulled on Ruby’s hand and pulled her close to him, sliding his arms around her in a tight, protective hug. She froze for a moment, unsure what to do, her hands awkwardly hovering at his back before she finally let them fall below his shoulder blades. Relaxing, her face fell against his chest, letting herself feel sheltered. For once, even though she’d fought with others at her side, she felt like she wasn’t alone. When he kissed the top of her head, it didn’t feel like a he was making a move on her, only that he offered comfort.

“I’m fine with this,” she finally managed to say in a low voice. “Whatever _this_ is.”

“There’s some kind of special bond formed when you have your partner’s blood on your hands, literally,” he told, “when you’ve chased Reapers away to keep them alive.” Adam relaxed his hold to let Ruby step back and look up at him, her eyes shining with a few tears.

“I suppose you’re right,” Ruby agreed, and she released him to wipe her eyes gently. “This is different.” _This is like when Sam hugged me_ , she absently thought. No, even this is different. “A lot of guys would want something in return, you know?”

Adam scoffed, but his face showed amusement. “I’m not a lot of guys, remember? So come on, let’s get some sleep, and we’ll go home tomorrow.”

“I might even let you drive,” Ruby told him, finally moving away completely to walk past him into the main room. “Get the light before you lay down, k?” She crawled into her bed, snuggling under the covers.

“Yes, ma’am!” Adam told her with a mock salute, earning a soft laugh from the lady. He did as he said he would, turning off he light and getting into his own bed.

“Hey, Ruby?” he asked.

“Mmm?” she replied.

“Want me to come snuggle up to you?” he teasingly inquired.

Ruby laughed. “Good night, Adam. Goofball.” His laughter was the last thing she heard as she settled down.

 _What is this? I don’t really know this feeling very well. It’s been so long._ She laid awake for long moments, thinking over past relationships. As a demon, Sam was the first person she’d ever had any true affectionate feelings for outside of familial bonds, but it was tainted by the dark twisted being she had become. The one romantic encounter she’d had was nothing like this thing with Adam or with Sam; it’d been pure infatuation used against her for sex.

Adam offered and asked for nothing in return, nor did he push for anything. Ruby truly was baffled and pleasantly surprised. A slow sweet smile touched her lips, and with that happy thought, she finally fell asleep.


	24. Dreamboat Annie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Going down the city sidewalk  
>  Alone in the crowd  
> No one knows the lonely one  
> Whose head's in the clouds_
> 
> _Sad faces painted over with those magazine smiles  
>  Heading out to somewhere  
> Won't be back for a while_
> 
> Dreamboat Annie - Heart

The trip back to the Bunker was relatively boring and uneventful, and the two settled back into their usual routines of looking for hunts inter spaced with also looking for specific hauntings or activities, especially those surrounding Italian-American areas or Italian artifacts. Adam was in contact with the person Quinn referred him to, GammaTriX, using a private chat program. Ruby chatted with the person a few times, and both hunters decided the person has a weird sense of humor but seemed like a generally cool dude. Ruby in particular had never used a chat program outside of text messages; it’d taken some getting used to, but she found the conversations enjoyable.

She and Adam had just arrived after working on tracking and stopping some cultists when she received a notification from GammaTriX, and so she sat down at a table in the library to open her chat.

 **GammaTriX** : Hey, lady. Got something for you.

 **RedWitchR** : For me and not Adam? Okay, shoot.

 **GammaTriX** : There’s some weirdness going on in Sioux Falls. And old friend of Sam Winchester’s lives there, sometimes with her adopted girls, all hunters. Right now she’s on her own, and there’s some activity that’s pretty sus that she could use a hand on.

 **RedWitchR** : Adam’s off visiting Sam. It’d just be me. Cool?

 **GammaTriX** : LOL. You two badass ladies could do it. Sam told you about Sheriff Jody Mills, right?

 **RedWitchR** : Yeah, she and I chatted a few times. Had a feeling it was her.

 **GammaTriX** : All of her girls are overseas right now for some sort of vacation, so like I said, she’s on her own. Give her a call and go on up. I’ll pass on to Sam you’re helping, too.

Ruby looked over the chat thoughtfully, her brow wrinkled in thought.

 **RedWitchR** : You never did tell me how you know everyone or who you even are.

 **GammaTriX** : Oh, me and Sammy go way back. Old friends with him and Dean. They helped me sort out some family drama that went really sour.

 **RedWitchR** : And you are?

 **GammaTriX** : I’m a joker, I’m a smoker, I’m a midnight toker...

Ruby rolled her eyes and desperately wished the fellow on the other end could see it.

 **RedWitchR** : Okay, okay. Keep your secrets, you tricky guy. I’ll call the sheriff and get my ass to Sioux Falls.

 **GammaTriX** : Knew I could count on you, Rubes. We’ll keep in touch.

**_GammaTriX has signed out._ **

The witch let out a sigh. GammaTriX was an interesting person, and she was aching to know who he was, but she swallowed down her curiosity and decided to focus on business. She double-checked the phone number for Jody, and made the phone call.

“Hey, Ruby, we actually talk!” Jody said by way of greeting. Her voice sounded tired with a bit of anxiety behind it. Clearly things were bigger than GammaTriX said they were.

“Hi, Jody, or is it Sheriff Mills?” Ruby replied, trying to lighten things some.

“Only if you’re a perp or you _royally_ piss me off,” Jody replied with a tense laugh. She was trying, but her tone only enhanced Ruby’s worry. “And, well, I don’t know if Sam told you, but I actually just retired. I was going to tell the girls when they get back from their European tour.”

“From the police or from hunting?” Ruby asked. “Or both?”

“Mostly from the police,” Jody replied. “Hunting isn’t something one can really fully retire from, even if you’re not out there with a gun in your hand. I’m backing off, though. Bobby called me to tell me he retired and that he got to see you and Adam in action. He had some high praise, mostly considering of ‘they ain’t complete idjits’.”

The witch laughed at that. “Well, from what I’ve seen of Mr Singer, that’s high praise!” She switched Jody to speaker phone while she went about packing. “So what are you dealing with that you need me on?”

“There’s been some murders, as most of our cases start, with hearts missing and blood drained. I thought it might be vampires, but Claire and Kaia cleaned out the last nest within a hundred miles a couple of months ago. They said it was romantic,” Jody said with a snort. “I’m positive this isn’t a vampire. There’s been a stone left where the hearts were, and there’s claw marks on the body that look more like a werewolf’s.”

“Were-pire?” Ruby ventured. “At any rate, yeah, that’s weird. I’ll bring silver to be safe.”

“I have a spare room you can have while you’re here,” the former sheriff offered. “You’re doing me a huge favor. I don’t want to see anyone else die.”

“I hear that,” the witch said. “I’ll head out in a few. Send me your address?”

“Done,” Jody said. “Sioux Falls is about six hours from Lebanon, so I’ll have dinner waiting for you. See you then.”

Ruby usually had a bag packed for needing to travel in a hurry. She chose her weapons carefully and added a few more thermal pieces as it was pretty cold in South Dakota. She made one more call while she was getting ready.

“Hey, Sam,” she said by way of greeting. “You boys having fun?”

“Yeah, if you call doing house repairs fun,” Sam replied. “Sounds like you’re packing. I heard you check your gun.”

Ruby laughed. “Yeah, I’m finally meeting Jody. Helping her with a case. Sounds like some odd hybrid of vampire and werewolf - stealing hearts, draining blood, and clawing bodies up. Were-pires.”

Sam snorted. “You sound like Dean. We had a case in Quaker Valley, Oregon where this creature called a nachzeher, something like a ghoul and vampire, though Castiel told Dean about this thing called a whisper that was more like a vampire and werewolf. If it’s a nachzeher, shove copper in its mouth and decapitate it.”

“Says the retired hunter,” Ruby chided him. “You have those house repairs, _remember_? And I did really just call to see how you and everyone were while I’m packing, oh walking encyclopedia of monster lore.”

She could almost see Sam’s sheepish grin as he laughed on the other line. “Well, hey. I have an interest in keeping my friends alive. But yeah, things are good. Dean’s healthy, growing fine, and Eileen’s doing really healthy for the most part, but she had a bad tumble; some jerk on a mountain bike was coming up behind her. Well, he said he yelled but of course she didn’t hear him, and he nearly gunned her down. Hopefully after the dressing down I gave him at the hospital, he’ll be more careful and less of an ableist asshole. I could only imagine what’d have happened if she had Dean with her.”

“Geez, seriously,” Ruby said. “Was she hurt badly?”

“Twisted her ankle pretty good, some general lacerations, but she’s healing. Otherwise, like I said, she’s in good health,” Sam replied. “Adam’s been a big help to us since Eileen can’t really get around super fast with the boot she has to wear.” He was quiet for a moment, and the witch was positive he was gathering his thoughts.

“Adam told me what happened in Alabama,” he finally said. “And he told me about what happened to him, about what he can do, what he is. That wasn’t an easy things for either of you to deal with. You know, I’m glad he saved you. I’m glad you’re both alive. I don’t know if I could handle losing someone else I care about to that life.”

“We all know the risks, but you know I’m not rushing headfirst into Death’s cold embrace,” Ruby told Sam gently. “And neither is Adam. This is what we’re here for, far as we can tell.”

“Ruby, you and Adam are here for much more than something like your own redemption or hunting or any of that,” he told her. “You need to be here for yourself, too. Dean told me to always keep fighting, to not give up. That’s what you need to do, too. You and Adam both.”

She let out a long breath, almost a sigh, and she put down her now-packed bag. “We all fight a different sort of battle, Sammy. I’m not going to give up.” Clearing her throat, the brunette changed the subject. “So hey, give Eileen a hug and little Dean a kiss for me, and smack Adam on the arm. And you, Sam, I’ll catch up after the hunt.”

“Sounds good. We’d like to see you. And hey, you find out more about what you’re looking for, tell me. I’ll do the research for you. Let me help you,” Sam urged. “ _Please_.”

This time, Ruby did sigh. “All right, Sam, you got it. I’ll ping you the moment I get more. Now go back to your construction gig, huh?”

Sam laughed. “All right. Be safe. Later, Ruby.”

“You got it. As safe as I ever am, promise. Later.” She disconnected, stopping to look at Sam’s contact card photo on her phone. _I can give him this_ , she thought. He may not be hunting, but the instincts never leave, and his knowledge could save lives, hers included.

With that thought in mind, Ruby headed off to the garage to take The Boss out on the road to hopefully get a chance to use that knowledge, too.

She made it to Sioux Falls in the early afternoon, pulling up into the driveway at Jody’s place. She’d never seen her earlier house, but apparently Jody had a small ranch she had retired to just northeast of the town proper. Ruby could see a small barn with a horse grazing outside in the attached yard, another smaller yard with a pair of goats, a small vegetable garden, and some chickens in a coop on the side of the barn. It was cute, enough to give fresh vegetables, goat milk, and eggs to supplement regular shopping.

Jody must have heard the Mustang pulling up, because she was outside when Ruby got out of the car. The retired sheriff greeted the other woman with a firm handshake.

“Finally, in person,” she told Ruby with a grin. “Glad you came.”

Jody Mills was in excellent shape, fit and strong, with few lines in her face to show her age. In fact, the only real indication of being in her sixties was her near-white hair. If anything, with the short, spiky pixie cut, Ruby thought she looked pretty badass and somewhat punk rock.

“I can’t say no to someone who needs me, especially if she’s a friend of Sam’s,” Ruby said, returning Jody’s broad grin with one of her own. “Let me grab my stuff?”

“Sure thing,” the older woman replied. “I’ll show you to the guest house.”

“A guest house?” Ruby asked, going to retrieve her bag and kit from the trunk of The Boss. “I thought you’d said you had a room.”

“Claire insisted on a little ‘Tiny House’ kind of thing. She and Kaia want their own land, though, so we bought the neighboring property so they could set up a sort of permanent yurt. The house out back is built the same way, just smaller.” Jody pointed out in the distance, and Ruby could see the circular building. “Kinda smart how they did it. They put one of those heated floors in over a raised foundation, then they used these earthbag things. You fill them with dirt and can wrap them into whatever shape you want to build in. Well, Claire had the bright idea mixing the dirt with rock salt, so now it’s also protected from ghosts and nasties getting into the place.”

“That’s a pretty good idea. I may steal that if I move out of the Bunker or the Apartment,” Ruby told the other woman with a nod of approval. “Smart girls.”

“I’ll say. I have a feeling they’re going to get married in Europe and try to shock me with it, but it saves for having a froufrou sort of wedding that I know neither of them want. I’d like to be there, but I’d rather them be happy and do it their way,” Jody said. “So come around back.”

The hybrid earthbag-yurt was very much like the one on the neighboring property, but smaller and more cozy. There were panes of glass built into the earthbag walls and, the walls were coated with what looked like a stronger stucco coating to seal any cracks. It was painted a light grey, but there were wood trimmings in a warm dark walnut that made it very inviting. Not a bad little experiment in building materials, Ruby considered.

She followed Jody inside, accepting her copy of the key to the little place, and she stepped in. It was cozy, for sure, with a little kitchenette, a mini-fridge, an actual bathtub/shower combo, and a sleeping loft. The desk doubled as an eating area, and there was a TV on a swinging arm so it could be watched from the loft or from a loveseat on the bottom level.

“Okay, this is ridiculously cute and cozy,” Ruby declared, pleased with her new digs for the time being.

“Well, I’m glad you like, and it gives you privacy, but come on inside for a bit. I’ll put on some coffee and tell you about the murders,” Jody said, giving Ruby a chance to leave her things on the loveseat. When the former sheriff headed out, the witch was right behind her.

Once inside, the older lady was as good as her word, getting on some delicious coffee with mocha and hazelnut notes. There was plenty of cream and sugar the way Ruby liked it, and soon the two were warmer and going over the cases.

“So there’s a stone left in the cavity?” the witch asked for clarification.

“Here’s a photo of one,” Jody said, passing over what looked like a copy of the police report. The stone itself was an angular representation of a human heart. “See? It was this X symbol on it. I don’t know what it means.”

Ruby frowned. She recognized the symbol, ᚷ, for what it was.“It’s not an X. It’s Elder Futhark, the letter g _yfu_. It’s used in some forms of magic to be a rune to attract wealth, but it’s also one associated with greed. Please tell me the corpses were cremated.” She looked up at Jody pleadingly.

“Some were. One was buried, and one’s in the morgue,” Jody replied, concern and a little fear on her face.

“I’ve seen this once before, when I was a demon,” Ruby explained. “Sam told you about that, right?”

“Yeah, he did,” the other woman affirmed. “What is it?”

“I think we’re dealing with a draugr,” Ruby told her.


	25. Born to Be Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The damned don't cry  
>  Cry out when they're betrayed  
> Bodies slam, they scream  
> As the keynote fades_
> 
> Born to be Bad - The Runaways

“A drow-what?” Jody asked, looking confused. “I’m not familiar with that one.”

“A draugr,” Ruby corrected. “They’re some kind of revenant, or living ghost, not quite a zombie. You see them a bit in Norse folklore.” She took a drink of her coffee. “They’re usually motivated by a combination of greed and bloodlust. How well-off were the victims?”

Jody looked through the files. “Looks like the first one was a contest winner, won a diamond pendant worth about $6000. Second one was a guy we got for running an illegal escort service.” She shook her head. “Those girls were in bad shape, but we could never get evidence on him, nothing we could use. Both of them were found without their jewelry and money.” She continued looking. “Freshly buried guy is a local rancher’s son, really well-off. The last one, though, she was a teenager up here staying with her aunt, oh, and look at this. She’s from Beverly Hills, CA, and her mom just inherited another deceased relative’s fortune.”

“All of them found without their valuables, and a stone with the _gyfu_ rune on it in place of their heart,” Ruby said. “Fits the lore. Sam’s going to be disappointed he couldn’t look this up for me.”

“Oh, I bet,” Jody said with a smirk. “He liked the study parts of the job, but the rest? I’m glad he settled down. He deserves the peace he has now. But back to this, you said you dealt with draugrs when you were a demon? Sam told me you were once, but you came back human.”

“And a witch, like I was in life before,” Ruby said. “When I was a demon, I had a few opportunities to be out of Hell, usually with tasks to accomplish. I was in Norway, in a decently populated town, and this woman was basically being the ‘Black Widow’ stereotype — marrying wealthy men, killing them, taking the money, you know? But she’d kill their wives or girlfriends first, all out of jealousy. There were some crazy blood rituals going on, but that’s a different story. At any rate, she eventually was caught and hanged by the crowd, and then she was buried. Well, exactly three years later, there were a series of murders very much like what we’re seeing here. All of them were rich, and not even people the woman had a grudge on. One of them rose from the grave to become exactly what the woman was.”

“So how do we kill it? What did you do then, or did you not care since you were a demon?” Jody asked.

“Well, I didn’t really care in those days except that it was ruining a plan we’d spent a decade building, so she needed to be stopped,” the former demon explained. “So what we did was pour blessed oil on the graves and set it on fire. The graves are cursed when a draugr is ‘born’, so you cleanse the grave and the draugr’s power is gone. They both burned from the inside until there was nothing but ash. And good thing: the draugr can’t live far from its grave.”

“Well, then we find it. What does it look like?” the older woman asked, going to refill their coffees. She stopped to take out her phone to tell her hunter-friendly contact still with the police department to see if it was possible that the girl in the morgue was cremated before transport.

“Real forms? Pale and grey, like that of a fresh corpse, with thin flesh stretched over their skeleton. They can appear human, though, but the ones I saw could only look like their living self. They don’t want to come out when it’s bright or dry, preferring wet rainy days or nighttime,” Ruby elaborated. “So we need to figure out who might have died three years ago who was a terrible person and then was buried in town.”

“Well, I mean, the population here is just shy of 200,000 people,” Jody began. “A decent number of people die every year.”

“Narrow it down to this the general seven days around this date,” Ruby suggested. “It’s pretty exact.”

“Okay, I’ll get my contact on it,” came the reply. “And it looks like the girl in the morgue was sent to the crematorium an hour ago, so we have one corpse to deal with. So if the draugr likes the dark, we should move after the sun goes down. We can do some scouting before then.”

“Then let me go get some holy oil and a couple of lighters,” Ruby told her. “Holy oil is really rare, but the Bunker has an oil drum about 3/4 full. This will do the trick without having to get the local clergy involved. Bring iron. I’ve got iron bullets, too.”

The two women separated after finishing their coffees, and met back up outside. Ruby made sure that Jody had iron bullets, but the older woman had, of all things, a bayonet turned trench knife.

“I think that’ll do!” Ruby declared, impressed. “Did you hear anything about whoever died?”

Jody nodded as she got into the passenger side of Ruby’s Mustang. “There were six deaths this time three years ago. A family of four from a car accident, a lady who died in Assisted Living, and an elderly man. I remember him. He was incredibly cheap, lived in this old place and refused to leave, even when the city wanted to condemn it. Garland Jones was his name.”

“Think that could be our guy? Someone living like like that might have been stashing wealth?” Ruby said, driving off. “Anything to narrow it down?”

“Turn left here,” Jodie told the witch. “Yeah, so the family were all cremated together, so they don’t fit the profile. Garland was buried in a church plot with his family members. Didn’t have the best attended funeral. Oh, Gladys Thorne, there’s the lady. Her obituary talks about how she was kind and did charity work until she went into Assisted Living. She’s in a private family plot.”

“Doesn’t sound like she fits the bill at all,” Ruby said. “A private lot may be hard to get into, so let’s take care of Garland’s grave first, and then we’ll see about hers. What about the family?”

“Well, they were pretty badly burned. The mother, Rena Sellers, was the only one of the family not cremated. The rest of the family died pretty gruesomely, but she actually survived with few injuries, but she died mysteriously in the hospital. It looked like Broken Heart Syndrome, but the thing is, she was divorcing her husband. They were taking the kids to her parents when it went down,” Jody explained. “But I mean, she was already suing her husband for almost all of his assets, trying to prove he was cheating on her.”

“Wow, that’s awful. Maybe we should be looking at her next then,” Ruby suggested. With that, she pushed the accelerator to speed down the road.

It didn’t take long to get to the First Baptist Church (“Why are there so many First Baptist Churches all over the country?” Ruby asked rhetorically.), and the witch couldn’t help but feel the place was one huge cliché with its old stone markers and wilted flowers on forgotten graves. The place was guarded, but it was easy enough to put the one bored security agent to sleep with an simple spell. She almost felt bad for him.

With Jody behind her, Ruby wandered through the stones, looking for one of the newer markers. She found it a few meters in, wrinkling her nose at the slight smell of decay that seemed to permeate the grounds. Maybe it hadn't been tended well, or maybe there truly had been a draugr coming from the area. After all, the lore also said they have a bad smell to them, like dead decayed vegetation or old meat.

"This place has always had this funk to it," Jody commented, coming up to walk alongside her temporary hunting partner. "People used to go to that patch over there and bury pets. And no, none of them came back to life. Damn, that was a creepy movie. I haven't been able to watch it since..." She trailed off at that, realizing she'd been about to talk about something very person. Seeing Ruby's questioning look, she let out a sigh and told the story."  
  
"A while back, during the Apocalypse, the dead started coming back to life. My little boy, Owen, was one of them. He'd died not long before. Anyway, all the dead started going zombie. I saw Owen eating his father." The older woman stopped to steel herself, and she gave the witch a grateful look when offered a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I'm okay," Jody said after a moment of silence. "I still have nightmares about it. But yeah, the whole bit about burying their kid in the pet cemetery, well, I'm sure you can imagine. Now we're dealing with more dead coming back to life, so it's hit some triggers for me."  
  
"Oh damn, Jody, I could only imagine," Ruby said. "Let's make sure we get this put to rest so you hopefully won't have to deal with this shit again." 

"Trust me, I'd like to actually enjoy my retirement!" Jody agreed. More composed, she set back out, and the (physically) younger woman walked along with her, shining a flashlight on the different stones as they walked by.  
  
After a solid ten minutes of looking over markers and gravestones, Jody nudged Ruby. "Here we go. Garland Jones. No family, cheap headstone. Kinda sad being so lonely, chasing off anyone who'd be kind to you, and then being buried with no one to mourn you. While I'm not in a rush to have my life be over, I have the girls, and my friend Donna, Sam, and so many other friends. I'm really lucky, despite what I've lost."

Ruby looked the other woman over, raising an eyebrow, but her curious expression gave way to a slow, knowing smile. "That's really healthy. I think plenty of other hunters could learn from you." She cleared her throat. "So let's get to setting this on fire."It took a few moments to remove the cap to her flask, and then she splashed a decent amount of the holy oil on the grave. She produced a lighter, not her expensive Zippo, but the kind used to light a grill. After all, dropping her blessed, engraved Zippo on the oil where it could potentially get ruined was, well, ridiculous. The two women stood guard over the fire, making sure no one approached to stop the process.

The fire died down on its own, but there wasn’t any change in the smell of the area. Ruby let out a sigh. “Maybe this wasn’t it. Let’s move on to the next one, ok?”

“Well, it’d be good to get them all anyway,” Jody agreed. “The other two are at the same cemetery.”

With the first plot taken care of, they headed back to Ruby’s car and were soon on their way. This was still too easy, she thought to herself as she drove. She followed Jody’s directions, but there was something unsettling about this, not just that people were rising from the dead. “You know, I want to see the draugr,” she said after a long moment. “It’s just a feeling, but if we can see its face, see who it is, this will make things easier.”

“But how would we — hold on,” Jody said, cutting herself off. “Looks like a guy is reporting an attack. He has a pretty nasty gash, being treated at the hospital a block from the cemetery. I think we might want to go there. There’s only ever been one attack per night, but this one’s the first survivor.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ruby agreed, and she headed the way Jody told her.

Getting to the hospital room wasn’t too difficult; Jody knew the officer on guard duty, and he trusted her.

“Hey, I saw a ‘Jordan King’ on the door,” Jody said. “What kind of trouble are you in _now_?”

Laying in a hospital bed was a slender fellow with bleached hair dyed a purple-silver with dark grey roots, skin a light mocha cream color, with his left shoulder bandaged with thick gauze. He was connected to an IV Drip, presumably for pain and hydration. He cracked open an eye and grimaced at the former sheriff.

“Girl, _don’t_ try me,” he said. “Some birthday this turned out to be. Some ugly-ass goth chick with these crazy nails clawed me good. I thought the bitch was going to kill me. Stank really bad, too.” Jordan tried to sit up, but winced. “All these stitches. My boyfriend was grossed out by it, but he’s being supportive.”

“Hey, I’m Ruby, one of Jody’s friends,” the witch said by introduction. “Did the attacker say anything? Take anything?”

Jordan snorted. “That bitch took the Rolex Jason gave me, ripped my diamond earrings out.” He pointed at his torn earlobes with his good hand. “Wallet’s gone. Stabbed me clean through with those nails. I swear it wasn’t no animal, Jody.”

“We believe you,” Jody said sincerely, coming over to the man’s bedside. “Hey, Ruby, I used to clean this kiddo up. Caught him stealing once, but I got him in a good program instead of arresting his skinny ass.” She smirked at the young man who rolled his eyes at her.

“I know, you always took good care of me, Jody. So get that goth bitch for me,” he insisted.

“How did you get away?” Ruby asked. “Did someone get her off of you?”

“Oh, this was the messed up part,” Jordan said. “There was another one, a white-haired one, different lookin’, too, with this weird shit on her back. She and the black-haired one got into a hardcore fight, so I just said screw them and ran out. Never been that scared in my life!”

Both Jody and Ruby froze for a long moment and slowly turned to look at each other. This wasn’t what they expected.

“There’s _two_ of them,” Ruby realized.


	26. Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Oh, don't give us none of your aggravation  
>  We had it with your discipline  
> Oh, Saturday night's alright for fighting  
> Get a little action in_
> 
> Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting - Elton John

“ _Two_ of them?” Jody repeated as they drove off to where Jordan said he’d been attacked. “So it’s the mom and the old lady?”

“We don’t know that,” Ruby said. “There could be something we’re missing. This place is pretty close to the cemetery, right?”

“Yeah, less than a mile away, which fits your draugr lore,” the older woman confirmed. “If your park just over there, we’re right in between. How do you want to do this?”

“Take the a flask of oil,” Ruby said after a moment of consideration. “Find the mom and consecrate the grave. She’s got to be the younger one that was described, I think. Let me know when it’s done?”

“I can do that, but what about guards?” Jody asked.

“Easy,” Ruby said, pulling over. She reached into a bag in the backseat and handed Jody a hex bag. “Tap this three times with your thumb and throw it on the ground if someone sees you. It’ll turn them away. Just be quick.”

“Got it, thanks,” Jody replied, checking her gun. “Okay, I’ll meet you back here.” She hopped out of the car and darted off towards the cemetery, her gun already in hand. Ruby watched her head off, whispering a small prayer that if there were angels around, they’d watch out for her new friend. With a sigh, she turned and headed off towards the wooded area the hospitalized man referred to.

She touched her pendant, activating its magic. There were no demons to sense; Ruby was relieved by this. After the mission in Daphne, Alabama, she never ruled out demonic activity on these hunts. After a little bit of tracking, she could see bits of blood and some traces of what she could only described as diseased ichor, presumably from the draugr. In fact, as she made it deeper into the forest, she could see more signs of a struggle in the form of human-sized dents in a couple of the larger trees, and a few of the smaller trees were simply snapped from the force of impact. Trenches were dug into the ground, most likely where an ankle had been dug in when one of the draugr was shoved away or thrown.

Must have been one hell of a fight, Ruby thought to herself, kneeling to examine one of the trenches. She froze where she was, the hairs of her neck standing on end as her senses went off. Without warning, a pale figure dived at her, but the witch was already on her feet and out of the way, her knife in hand.

“Give me that pendant,” a gurgling voice spoke. Before her was the figure with long stringy black hair, her body skeletal with sunken discolored eyes. She wore a tattered blue dress, the same one she’d been buried in, but her feet were bare with long clawed toes to match the claws her fingernails had become. Her voice was liquid and deep, the sound of her breathing, as it were, sounded like plunging a clogged toilet.

“I don’t think so,” Ruby replied, her knife at the ready. “This was given to me, and it’s precious. You can’t have it.” She smirked at the creature. “Where’s your friend?”

“PAH,” the draugr spat. “Not friend.” With that, the creature kept at Ruby, who paired with her knife. With a kick, she shoved the draugr off and swiped across its belly with her knife. The creature screamed, doubling over in agony.

“Maybe all I need to do is just gut you. Maybe that will kill you first?” A slow wicked grin touched the witch’s features. “Is a bauble worth a second death?”

The creature let out another rumbling fluid cry and launched herself at Ruby, this time managing to knock the witch off balance, swiping a claw towards the former demon’s eyes. Ruby managed to block it with her forearm and tried to roll to kick the creature off of her, only to find the draugr’s open palm shoves against her forehead with terrible force, making her vision go dark briefly. Ruby groaned, but still struggled until suddenly, the creature was pulled off her and thrown back.

She blinked her eyes, forcing herself to sit up and hold her knife. What she saw looked like two draugrs, but she couldn’t focus with her vision so blurry. Ruby scooted back as the other two fought, and she fished for her phone.

“Please let me you found it,” Ruby told Jody as a greeting.

“I just found it, give me a few,” Jody replied. “Did you find them?”

“Yeah, one was on me, and the other attacked her,” Ruby replied. “Get to both of those graves, please. The white-haired one will be one me when her playdate goes down for the count.”

“On it,” the former sheriff told her. “Get ready for it.” Jody disconnected the call, so Ruby put her phone safely away.

The two creatures were still fighting, but Ruby’s eyes were slowly regaining their focus. She pulled herself to her feet shakily, positive she might be suffering from a mild concussion. Her body was already trying to compensate with her magic. With a mental curse, the witch willed her vision to clear up. When it got a bit better, she could see the second figure was as different from the draugr as could be — a beautiful pale woman with white hair in a braid down her back, wearing a black tunic sweater, black pants, and boots. What threw Ruby off was that the woman had a tail resembling that of a fox.

“Holy shit,” she exclaimed. Her marveling was short-lived, however, as the white-haired fox-tailed woman jumped back. The draugr started shaking with uncontrollable tremors, and slowly, very slowly, she started burning underneath her skin. In one final burst, though, she dissolved into ashes with a gurgled cry of pain. Ruby didn’t take this as a time to be idle; she held her knife out defensively.

“Hey,” she called out. The woman turned, looking at her, and the claws of her own fingernails retracted. In the moonlight, Ruby could see what looked like ashy bark descending from her neck and down her back under the sweater.

“Hey, yourself,” the figure replied, speaking with a slight accent that sounded Norwegian. “You could say thank you.”

“Thank you, and who are you and what are you?” Ruby retorted. “You don’t look like a draugr, but I know they can shapeshift.”

“I’m not a draugr. My name is Aud, and I’m a huldra,” came the reply, and the woman held her hands up to show she meant no harm. “You are?”

“Ruby. I’m a witch,” Ruby replied, and she finally relaxed, returning her knife to its sheath. “And I’m a hunter. Why were you fighting the draugr?” She had her phone out, asking Jody to come back and forget about the other grave.

“I’m looking for her horde,” Aud replied with a long sigh. “Her maker, Ingrid, was from from my home in Mölle, an isolated beautiful town on the northwest side of Sweden, on the coast. She tricked me years ago for something important to me, so I followed her here. She died twenty years ago and rose as a draugr. I found she was buried here and rose as a draugr, but a hunter killed her after she caused a car accident three years ago.”

“And we just killed her progeny?” Ruby offered. “Did you need her?”

“Yes, of sorts,” Aud replied, producing a small vial from her pocket. She scrapped something out from under her fingernails into it, the creature’s blood. “I needed just enough to cast the spell to locate the grave of her maker.”

“I thought they needed to place the stone where someone’s heart was to make a new one,” Ruby said, confused.

“They do. Exhume the body and see what’s where her heart should be,” Aud said. “They’re smart, and they can shapeshift, like you said. The truly powerful ones, like Ingrid, are the ones naturally born from their own greed and bloodlust.”

Ruby was silent for a long moment, trying to remember what she knew of the lore around huldras. “Let me message my partner here. Will you come with me to my car?”

“If you can help me, I’d be appreciative,” Aud said. When Ruby nodded, the huldra followed her.

[Sam, you awake? I need to know lore about the huldra. Bad? Good?] Ruby texted.

There wasn’t a reply right away, but when the two were closer to Ruby’s Mustang, there was something rather lengthy.

[Okay, they’re pretty good if you’re good to them, but be a bitch and they’ll mess with you. They’re associated with the goddess Hulda. They have some siren-like powers and are pretty strong and nimble. Be careful, don’t comment on the tail. If you’re good to her, you’ll get something good in return. They’re pretty honest.] If anything, Sam was thorough.

[Thanks, Sammy. More later.] Ruby put away her phone as they approached. “Modern technology, useful stuff.”

“Oh yes. I’m still amazed by it. I have Internet in my home now. I do miss it,” Aud said with a sigh. She glanced behind her at her tail, and then with a bit of concentration, it shifted back and out of sight. “There, better. So then, I see your friend approaching.”

Indeed, Jody came up, holding the flask of oil in one hand. “I had to use your hex bag, but otherwise the grave was easy to find. How come you didn’t... oh. Oh, you’re that girl who was looking to see if some some woman named... Ingrid? Was it? - had any public records.” she told Aud. “It was the day before my retirement.”

“That’s right, Sheriff Mills! It’s good to see you again,” Aud said politely, going to shake the other woman’s hand. “Ruby, if you had told me this was your friend, I’d have been a bit more polite.”

“It’s all right,” Ruby said. “Jody and I have chatted via text for a while, but we’ve just met in person today. I came to help her with solving these murders. I wouldn’t have even known it was a draugr if I hadn’t seen this before a long time ago.”

“Well, I need to cast my spell to find the horde,” Aud said. “Would you take me where it leads? I don’t have a car. To be honest, I’ve been sleeping in the woods.”

Ruby nodded, feeling a bit merciful, and so she and Jody stood guard while Aud worked her magic. She drew lines in the dirt and spilled a few drops of her own blood, then added the scrapings she’d saved of the draugr’s blood to the circle. A few chanted words, and the circle and sigils flashed crimson, flowing up as smoke which was inhaled by the huldra. She looked back over at the other two women. “I know where she came from. She’s buried outside of town, a few miles north of here.”

“On it,” Ruby said, nodding towards her car.

As the destination wasn’t very far away, it didn’t take long to arrive, but it did take some time to find the actual grave. It was Jody who found it, seeing what looked like a shallow dug-out pit with scorched bones inside. In the chest cavity was a stone like they’d seen in the current victims.

“What was the draugr’s name again? Ingrid, you said?” Jody asked. “I remember there’d been a case of a missing elderly woman named Ingrid Nordholm. She was very wealthy, lived on private property in Minnesota. The hunt for her came all the way out here, but no one ever found her.”

“And now we have,” Aud said. She kneeled over the corpse, whispering a similar spell, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Excuse me,” she told the other two women, and wandered only a couple of meters away where she pushed a rock over. Underneath it was a chain, and she pulled hard, revealing a trapdoor.

“Hey, hold out for... us.” Ruby rolled her eyes when the huldra jumped in without warning. “Think she’ll be ok?” she asked Jody rhetorically.

Jody just shrugged. “I’m going to call this in once our friend over there is done. At least we can close this case.”

“And here you are, retired and still solving crimes,” Ruby teased. “Time to think of a good cover story, my friend.”

“My least favorite part. I’ll do it anonymously from the road,” Jody told her with a dramatic long-suffering sigh.

Aud decided that was the time to pop her head out of the hole, jumping up out of it unaided and landing gracefully on her feet. “Not much in the stash. Some watches, some gold coins, and a few pendants. This, however, was what I was looking for.”

She brought the things over to the women. Audi’s pendant seemed to be made of rough rhodonite, set in the shape of a tear with a hole in the top point. It was still on a silver chain, long tarnished from being buried and exposure to wet air. With another whisper of magic, the chain brightened again, and Aud put it on.

“This was given to me by my human husband a century ago, and I’ve always worn it,” the huldra told them. “Now I can return home.”

“And how will you get home?” Ruby wondered.

“A friend has a way to return me, so I shall be going back to her once I find transportation,” Aud said simply.

“Then you’re coming to stay with me at my place, and I’ll get you a cab first thing,” Jody said firmly. “No arguing.”

Aud seemed to glow at that. “Thank you so very much. I won’t forget your kindness, either of you.”

It was some time around midnight when the three women arrived back at Jody’s house, each of them opting for baths or showers to relax after such a rough evening. They met back up in Jody’s kitchen with hot cocoa this time, telling each other of their lives. Ruby laughed as Aud spoke of watching the fishermen teaching their sons to fish and that she would send little fishes their way to encourage them.

“That’s awfully sweet of...” Ruby trailed off as her phone rang. “Excuse me.” She got up from the table and went to answer.

“Hey, Adam, what’s up? It’s pretty late, “ she told him as a greeting.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I know you’re still in the middle of a case, but something came up that has Sam rattled,” Adam told her apologetically. “I wouldn’t have called so late otherwise.”

“We actually wrapped up,” Ruby told him. _It’s good to hear his voice_ , she thought. It didn’t dawn on her how she was already missing him until now.

There was a relieved sigh on the other end. “Good. Listen, can you come to Lawrence in the morning and come get me? Sam found something that looks like something he heard of before. A man was found bound with his fingers cut off and somehow inside of his stomach. No obvious incisions other than his fingers being cut off mechanically. ‘Glutton’ was branded on his chest.”

“Unfinished Winchester business?” Ruby asked, and she nodded to Jody when the other woman raised an eyebrow.

“He thinks so. He thinks this could be related to a case Castiel and Jack took before, well. Before Chuck,” Adam told her. “I said we would take it.”

“You’re damn right we will,” Ruby told him. “I’ll be there to get you in the morning.”

“Thank, Ruby,” Adam told her sincerely. “I was starting to miss your _charming_ personality and wit,” he added cheekily.

“Twerp,” the witch told him fondly. “I missed you, too.” With that, she ended the call. _A hunter’s work was never done_ , she humorlessly thought.


	27. Refugee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Somewhere, somehow somebody  
>  Must have kicked you around some  
> Tell me why you want to lay there  
> Revel in your abandon  
> Honey, it don't make no difference to me baby  
> Everybody's had to fight to be free  
> You see you don't have to live like a refugee_
> 
> Refugee - Tom Petty

Jody was sad to see Ruby go, but if there’s something the former sheriff knew, it was that these cases needed to be solve quickly before someone else got hurt or worse. She had a large bag loaded with baked goods and a flask of coffee for the witch as she was only running on a few hours of sleep.

Aud was there as well, waiting for the cab Jody called to take her to her friend. “Dear Ruby, please take my information,” she said, going to kiss the brunette on each cheek. “You have a friend in Sweden, and a place to stay in a beautiful town.”

“Aud, thank you. I’m glad we could help you and prevent more deaths,” Ruby told her sincerely.

“Be safe. You let me know when you’re done with this hunt,” Jody said. “And before you say you’re old enough to be my great-time-whatever grandmother, just humor me.”

Ruby gave her a long hug. “I will, Mama Jody,” she teased. “I’ll make sure Sam sends you pictures of Little Dean, too. You should come visit while the girls are away.”

The other woman looked thoughtful. “Maybe I will,” she said.

After a few more words of farewell, Ruby was back behind the wheel of The Boss, satellite radio tuned to the Classic Rock station. She belted out the lyrics, listening to the late, great Tom Petty and finding the song to be appropriate.

_“Everybody's had to fight to be free_

_You see you don't have to live like a refugee.”_

The tunes kept the same sort of theme, about freedom, about choice, about survival, and about free will. Ruby half-wondered if the universe was trying to tell her something. She thought back to being pulled from The Empty, cleansed and repaired from the damage that turned her into a demon. She remembered Jack’s serene face, the kind smiles he gave her, and in him, she knew who she saw.

“Castiel raised you, didn’t he?” Ruby though aloud as she drove. “And Sam and Dean were your cool uncles who taught you what Cas didn’t — or wouldn’t.” She thought of Luzio, remembering how he taught her to fight with a knife, to read and write. He taught her the Greek and Roman classics, told her stories of the Old Gods, showed her a world outside of her father’s farm.

“Oh, Luzio,” she sighed to herself. There was still the issue of finding why and how her brother was on the earth and what he was. It was bad if he happened to be a ghost like her mother, unthinkable if he was around as a demon or a monster. Maybe he was a natural witch and found a way to live, or he’d aligned himself with some god. Pushing the thought from her head, Ruby turned up the radio, opting to sing along to Rush’s Free Will.

_“You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice_

_If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice_

_You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill_

_I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill.”_

After one stop for gas and a lot of driving, Ruby pulled up in front of Sam’s house, coming out to knock on the door. She could hear Miracle barking, followed by her friend’s heavy footsteps. He unlocked the door and gave Ruby a broad grin, pulling her into a hug.

“Hey, you. Glad you came so quickly,” Sam told her. “Adam’s inside being a decent uncle.”

What Ruby saw when she entered the living room made her grin as broadly as Sam had grinned at her. Adam was in Eileen’s rocking chair, making faces at the infant he held in his arms. Even at a couple months old, Little Dean was all smiles and fascination with anything in front of him. He let out a little laugh at one of the faces his uncle made.

“See?” Eileen said from the couch next to them. “Did we not tell him he was a natural?”

Ruby laughed, and she snapped a picture with her camera. “Sorry, Adam, but you’re ridiculously adorable.”

“Well, we all knew that, but now add baby-skills to that list, and I’m irresistible, right?” Adam asked with a smirk, looking up at his partner. There was that intensity for just a moment, enough to make her breath catch, before his eyes softened. “It’s good you came so quickly,” he added seriously.

“Let me take Dean so you can work,” Eileen said and signed, and Adam readily passed the child to her, changing places so she could have the rocking chair. She resumed her brother-in-law’s prior task of entertaining the infant. Adam, for his part, patted the seat next to him for Ruby to join him.

Ruby settled down in the offered spot. When Sam returned with coffee, she thanked him with a brilliant smile. “Bless you, Sam.”

“Hey, you look like you could use it, and with what we have to tell you, it’ll help,” the older Winchester brother said, shrugging his shoulders and moving around to have a seat. Miracle hopped up on the couch to rest his head in his owner’s lap so he could receive pets.

“Sounds serious. Adam was saying this sounds like a case from a few years ago?” the brunette witch wondered.

Adam nodded. “When Sam told me about it, it seemed to be too similar. Why don’t you tell her?” he suggested to his brother.

“Yeah, so about that,” Sam began. “Dean and I were following up on a hunch of his, of finding Amara in Atlantic City at some kind of keno competition. Apparently she was really into it.” He rolled his eyes, remembering it, though bits of his long-held grief showed as his expression settled. He blinked it away, continuing. “I found this case, but it seemed less like one of ours and more like a mundane issue, about a guy in Missouri found with his fingers cut off and shoved down his own throat, and the word ‘liar’ was was written on the body. Castiel and Jack worked on that one while Dean and I headed out.”

“Well, that sounds like our ‘glutton’, as you said last night,” Ruby told Adam.

“Yeah, well, there’s more,” the younger Winchester stated, and he nodded at his brother.

“Right,” Sam said, clearing his throat. He, of course, was also signing for Eileen’s benefit. “Well, as it turns out, it wasn’t one of our usual, but it was the daughter of the pastor who was running the shelter and soup kitchen the other victims worked at. Another had gone missing, and while Jack and Cas solved it, they found the killer and saw her arrested. Her name was Sylvia. I’m sorry, I never got her last name, and it’s not like I can ask Jack or Cas anymore.”

Eileen gave Sam a long, loving look colored with empathy for his losses. “What was it you told me Jack told you? That the answers are there? I looked that up for you.” The smirk she gave Sam and his response in the form of a questioning expression turned pride was fairly amusing to Ruby. “It’s De León. Sylvia De León. And what’s more, she disappeared after her arrest.”

Both Winchester men gave her a look of disbelief. Sam immediately reached for his laptop to look up more about it, gently nudging Miracle’s head out of the way.

“Disappeared?” Adam wondered. “How? I mean, I guess that’s the big question, but Sam, I thought you said Cas and Jack saw her arrested and driven off.”

“Jack insisted on that,” Sam replied. “Cas did his head-touch thing to put her to sleep, and she was awake when the cops showed. He said her father talked to her before she got in the car.”

Ruby had been silent for a while, listening to the lines of conversation. “So this new murder, where did it happen?”

“Miami, Oklahoma,” Adam said. He pulled out his phone to forward the article to Ruby, and she looked on her iPad.

“Hey, there’s more,” Sam added. “Oh, this gets better, and by better, I mean worse.” He let out a huff of air, pushing his hair back out of his eyes. “Joe De León, the man behind the Patchwork Community Center, was found dead four years after the murders, and get this — his hands were cut off and were imbedded in his chest in a position of prayer.”

The others in the room had equally horrified looks, but Ruby swallowed it down first. “So we can only assume Sylvia did it. Well, if she’s back to her old habits, then we’ll need to head to Oklahoma to put a stop to it.”

“It’s not one of our usual cases, but neither was the original, and this is unfinished Winchester business,” Sam said.

“Which you’re not finishing. This technically wasn’t your case, Sammy,” Ruby pointed out.

“But it was Cas and Jack, and they were — _are_ family,” Sam insisted, and there was no arguing with that tone. “Jack being God doesn’t make him not Jack, and you said he brought Castiel from The Empty, right?”

“Yeah,” Ruby affirmed. “Jack told me himself. He looked exceptionally pleased when he spoke of Castiel.” A tiny little smile turned up the corners of her lips. “He’s a good kid.”

“He is,” Sam agreed fondly. “I always thought of Dean and me as his uncles.”

Ruby laughed. “I was just thinking about that on the way here. You’re the ones who showed him the stuff Castiel didn’t.”

The older Winchester just scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. “Well, it’s not like Cas had the most worldly experience. Jack was so innocent, even if he’d done and seen some terrible things, and I suppose he must have held onto some of it. I’m honestly glad for that.”

“Well, at any rate, we’ll wrap this one up for him and Castiel,” Adam said. “We’re not getting much done here, and I’m sure you and Eileen would like some time without me hovering.”

“We _like_ you hovering,” Eileen told him. “But if someone is killing people...”

Ruby nodded. “We’ll need to handle it. Thanks for the info, and if you see anything else?”

Sam smirked. “You know you’ll be the next to know. Watch yourself.”

“I’ll be watching her,” Adam said with a fake-innocent whistle. He gave the witch a wink, resulting in her rolling her eyes and elbowing him lightly in the ribs. “Ooof! Fine, I’ll watch _out for_ you.”

This time it was Sam who rolled his eyes “I swear, he’s definitely related to Dean.” He exchanged a look with his brother that indicated to Ruby that she’d been a topic of discussion between them, but she didn’t care to pry right now. Instead, she swallowed down the last of her cup of coffee.

“Are you packed, Adam?” she asked him. “I mean, that’s probably a dumb question given you’re the one who called me.”

“Yes’m, my bag’s in the corner there,” he replied, likewise finishing his coffee. He stood, offering Ruby his hand to help her up. She accepted with a small smile.

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t stand,” Eileen told them, indicating the now-sleeping Dean in her arms.

“Of course,” Ruby said, leaning down for a gentle hug just after Adam did. He went to retrieve his bag while Ruby waited for Sam to lead them to the door.

The three stood outside on the porch a few moments later, and Sam hugged them both, his expression an odd mix of sadness, worry, gratitude, and love. “You know I’d have been on this one otherwise. Thank you both for helping me keep my promise to Dean and to Eileen.”

“We’re always here to help you, Sam,” Adam said seriously. “You deserve this peace, and we’re not going to let anything pull you from it. I didn’t understand how you and Dean viewed family before, and I certainly didn’t get to act on it, but I get it now. I do. I’m so happy to have a big brother in my life.”

“You know I feel the same, Sammy,” Ruby told the taller man. “I’m glad you took a chance on me despite our shared history.”

“You’re _not_ the demon I knew before,” Sam replied, locking eyes with the witch. “You’re someone new, a force to be reckoned with, and you’re family, too.” He pulled her in for another hug. “Go put this one to rest.”

“On it,” Ruby told him, and with that, she and Adam headed over to The Boss to start their mission to Oklahoma.


	28. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If you ever plan to motor west  
>  Travel my way, take the highway that's the best  
> Get your kicks on Route Sixty-Six!_
> 
> (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 - Bobby Troup

“So I wonder why no one caught the other draugr until you did?” Adam asked as Ruby drove across the Oklahoma border.

“Technically, I _didn’t_ ,” Ruby replied, checking her speed. “Someone else did. When we found her grave, the ground was already consecrated with her in it. All we found was some charred bones, but her stash was only a few meters away.”

“So maybe another hunter got her first,” Adam suggested. “And I guess there’s not an easy way to tell when that went down.”

“The ashes weren’t fresh, and there was plenty of vegetation on the mound,” the witch added, shrugging. “They’re quick and nasty, and I don’t want to see one ever again. Aud was interesting.”

“Yeah, I checked the lore on huldra while we were at the last fuel stop,” the other hunter said. “They’re a kind of _skogsrå_ , or a forest spirit. They can seduce people, but if you’re polite or kind to one, they’ll help you. Harm or disrespect one, they’ll bring you bad fortune. Their backs grow tree bark, and they have either a cow or fox’s tail, like you described. If that Ingrid stole from her, I’m not surprised she left her home to chance the old thief down.”

“I really don’t like dealing with forest spirits or any fey or god-kin,” Ruby sighed, shaking her head. “Hopefully this case is just a serial killer and we can take her down easily. From what I gather, she’s just a normal human woman.”

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s what Sam seemed to think. I mean, he knows this isn’t regular hunter business.”

“But it _is_ unfinished Winchester business, so it’s better to wrap it up. I’m sure Castiel and Jack would appreciate it.” Ruby checked her rear view, noticing a highway patrol trying speed check her. A wiggle of her fingers, a whisper of a spell, and he had a flat tire.

“Mean trick, Ruby,” Adam laughed, impressed.

“You saw what he was doing. He was going to match my speed and get me the moment I exceeded the limit. I hate those state police fundraiser tricks. Like catch someone who’s actually driving recklessly,” the witch complained.

Adam shrugged. “I think I’m seeing the old demon there a bit.”

Ruby chanced a wry glance at him. “The demon is _always_ there. She just has a conscience now.”

Her companion said nothing, but she could see the amused smirk on his face from the edge of her vision. Shaking her head, she turned up the music a little and sped up.

A few hours later, the Mustang pulled into a little traveler’s motel that boasted cable TV, WiFi, and a hot tub. From the looks of the motorcycles, Ruby thought a bit accurately that people were driving along the historic Route 66 and stopped there for an overnighter. It sounded fun, but sadly she and Adam were there on business.

They went for the tried and true FBI schtick, going through their collection of fake badges until the two found identities they would be using for the mission: Agent Cortese and Agent Abel. Once dressed appropriately, choosing casual clothes more appropriate for the culture of the region, they headed out to the police station.

The building itself was red brick with a flat roof and a row of black windows under the roof ledge. Ruby thought it was very drab and far too stark, but then again, it was serviceable for the city’s needs. _Still_ , she thought. _Boooo-ring!_

They were greeted inside by an Officer Moody, according to his badge. He was a burly man, built like an oak tree and almost as tall as Sam by Ruby’s approximation. The officer was white, tanned by long hours outside, and his face sported a horseshoe mustache in a salt-and-pepper coloration. Ruby guessed he had to be in his late fifties.

“Heard from your supervisor, one Sam Wesson, that y’all were coming. Appreciated the warning,” Moody told them. “I’m Captain Hank Moody. Glad y’all could come. This murder is like nothing we ever get here.”

“We got the assignment pretty quickly, Captain Moody,” Ruby said. “What can you tell us?”

“Follow me,” he said, and he led the way to an office where they could talk privately. “So yeah, this mirrors another series of murders from a few years ago,” he stared.

“The Patchwork Community Center case?” Adam prompted. When the officer nodded, he added, “I know they arrested the girl behind it, but she went missing right after. Think it’s the same?”

“Either her or a copycat,” Moody replied seriously. “But there’s more. Look at the crime scene report.”

Ruby looked it over, skimming the details, and then something caught her eye. “Sulfur compounds found on the body that aren’t native to the area, huh? Weird.” When she looked up at the officer, he was staringat her as if trying to figure something out. “What?”

“Also had some weird electrical business going on, a random freak storm, but that didn’t make it into the report,” Moody told them, again looking like he was waiting for a reaction.

Ruby glanced over at Adam who shrugged, and she turned back to the burly police officer. “What, you think it’s demons?”

“Okay, well, I didn’t expect you to just come out and say it, but yeah, I do. I recognized your ‘supervisor’s’ voice, by the way. ‘Course he was a lot younger last I heard it. John Winchester’s boy, Sam,” the older man said with a smirk. “And yeah, I called him on it. Damn shame to hear about his big brother. Dean was a good boy.”

“He grew into a good man, and he died doing what be believed in,” Adam said. “I’m John’s other son, the one he apparently didn’t tell anyone about. Name’s Adam, and this is Ruby, officially.”

“And out there, y’all are agents. So yeah, the case does look like that other one in Missouri, but there’s demonic omens about. If it’s here, she’s either a demon or working with one,” Moody said.

“Or someone’s a huge fan of her work,” Ruby suggested. “I’m glad you’re up front with us, though I think you were having a bit of fun at first.”

Moody laughed, giving the two a good-natured grin. “I’ll tell y’all, before John Winchester came through my town, I was some Good Ol’ Boy. Drank cheap beer, lived for college football, drove my truck around, and had some pretty terrible views about people that ain’t like me. That changed when a demon possessed me. I managed to get a hold of myself and it smoked out. After that, I thought over my life and decided to try to do something good with it. I owe him for that.”

“Without mentioning how he left his boys in motel rooms and raised them in a car,” Ruby uttered before she could stop herself.

“Well, no, he wasn’t gonna win no parenting awards for damn sure. Even the worst parent can love their kids with a whole heart, but if they ain’t healthy in their head or soul, the kids are gonna suffer for it,” Moody stated sagely. “Anyhoo, here’s the haps. I can keep the boys here off your tail while you do your investigating. I can’t get involved in that kinda hunt.”

“We understand,” Ruby said. “I’m still gonna give Sam some shit for not warning us!” She grinned at that, but sobered quickly. “And yeah, we’ll try to keep this from being a nightmare for you. If it’s Sylvia, we’ll make sure you get an anonymous call. If it’s a demon, we’ll clean up after ourselves.”

“See that y’all do,” Captain Moody said. “Here’s my personal line.” He told them the numbers so both Ruby and Adam could enter it into their phones, and both of them texted him to start a group chat. “Good thing. So here’s the details.”

He laid it out for them, bringing up a map of the area. NEO A&M College was on the west side of town. To its north and a bit farther west was a forested area, and that was where the victim, Matthias Parker, was reported missing. His body was found deposited in the same place, but his fingers were inside of his body, and not by incision or force. The partially-digested fingers had been severed from knuckles to fingertips, and were floating in his stomach intact. The word “Glutton” was branded into his chest and across his forehead.

“I’d call him a poor bastard, but he was anything _but,_ ” Moody told the pair. “He owned some homes in the neighborhood in an older section of town. He’d raise rent and evict those who couldn’t pay. Loved his food and drink. He’d get lipo every so often, but that never curbed his appetites for rich food or whiskey.” The officer shook his head. “No one liked him, but we didn’t want him dead.”

Adam nodded, exchanging another glance with Ruby. “What doesn’t settle for me is the presence of demonic omens. I mean, punishing people for sins seems antithetical to what demons are.”

“Yeah, unless the demon’s under orders or it’s contracted for the purpose,” Ruby added. “But Rowena’s not permitting contracts and hasn’t since she took over Hell. She’d be super pissed if she knew.”

“You... Hell? Rowena?” Moody looked like a deer in the headlights.

“Queen of Hell, Rowena McLeod, former witch, died saving the world. Badass awesome lady. I live in her flat part time, the one she had when she was alive.” Ruby shrugged.

Adam smirked. “Long story. Better to just smile and nod.”

“This is me smiling and nodding,” the Captain told her, taking a moment to digest that information. “But this copy of the file is yours. And FYI, no real FBI were called in. Folks like to keep stuff in-house and not detract from the Route 66 tourism.”

“Got it,” Ruby said. “Anything more we should know?”

“Yeah, he was holding land rights to Nazareth Church, one of the non-denominational churches, and was seen leaving there the other day. Might want to start there,” Moody replied. “Pastor Lucas di Soreni is the guy there, but he’s out off town. Talk to his secretary, Livia Sylvester. She can let you in to talk to the new assistant pastor, Zachary Devlin.”

“Thank you,” Ruby told him sincerely. “We’ll get to it, but we want to meet with you later if we can.”

“Dinner when this is wrapped up,” the officer agreed, and he stood to show the pair of hunters out. “My treat.”

“Deal!” Adam and Ruby replied together, and once they regained their composure, they followed Captain Moody out.

When they were back in the car, Ruby called Sam immediately, a bit annoyed when he started laughing after her exclamation of “Why the hell didn’t you warn us?” when he picked up. They filled Sam in on what the policeman told them.

“I don’t remember them telling us anything about a demon, but we were also dealing with finding out that Jack was going to be a living bomb. I wouldn’t be surprised if the details got lost along the way,” Sam told them. After a little more discussion, Ruby and Adam said goodbye and continued on to check out the crime scene.

There was still plenty of daylight when they made it out, crunching their way through the woods until they found the point on the map. The area was still mapped off with barricade tape, so they ducked under to have a closer look at the area. So far they found a little blood, but Ruby had another idea. She had Adam stand back and cast a spell, and the moment she was done with the chant, her eyes glowed with a bright violet.

“Oh,” she said simply, her eyes fixated on one area.

“Care to share with the rest of the class?” Adam said, folding his arms.

“Help me move that broken sapling,” the witch said, and she led the way out of the circle of barricade tape to where a fresh young tree had fallen, her eyes returning to normal the moment she started walking.

“There was an electrical storm, but no crazy wind,” Adam said, reviewing the prior weather reports on his phone. “Look how green it still is,” he said, indicating where there was still some fresh sap and new sprouts emerging. He ran his hands over the tree, concentrating on something Ruby couldn’t see, and then he paused. “Here.”

Ruby came around to look, and on one side, about the height of a more petite woman no taller than 5’3” or 5’4”, were the impression of hands. The average person might have missed it, but when she placed one of her hands on the intention, she found her hand laid smoothly where wrists and fingers would have hit. “Pushed over then. What’s underneath?”

“Let’s find out,” Adam said. As he didn’t have to hide his nature anymore, he let himself show his truth strength, lifting and moving the small tree out of the way with ease. Underneath, once some old leaves had been brushed away, were some grooves dug into the ground, appearing to have been made by some hard-soled shoes. “Well, easier to cover it than spread out the dirt.”

“Wait, what’s this?” Ruby asked, and she knelt a few feet away. Just under some more brush was a torn piece of paper, but the words “EVICTION NOTICE” were clearly legible, along with “Nazareth Church” underneath it.

“So now we know why he was at the church,” she told Adam. “And we now have more suspects than just one missing lady serial killer.”


	29. Psycho Killer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I can't seem to face up to the facts  
>  I'm tense and nervous and I can't relax  
> I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire  
> Don't touch me I'm a real live wire_
> 
> Psycho Killer - Talking Heads

After checking the hours on the church’s website, Ruby and Adam set out, knowing they’d have about an hour before the church office closed. The church itself wasn’t very big, consisting of a chapel building that might have been an old house and offices that looked tacked on. There were a few portable buildings set off to the side in the back of the property, and a small but entertaining-looking playground. Just at the end of the driveway was a large sign, perhaps about 6’x6’ that read “CHURCH FUNDRAISER: Help us find a new home!” in blue letters on a stark white background.

“I think they might have been trying to get away from their landlord anyway,” Adam observed. “Let’s see what we can find out.”

There were a few congregants inside, playing instruments and singing. After they finished their song, one of the joyous congregants pointed Ruby and Adam to the secretary’s office. “She shouldn’t be busy right now,” the young woman told the pair.

Ruby knocked on the door, making note of the plaque with “Livia Sylvester” and “Secretary” inscribed. She ran a finger over the pendant Rowena had given her, activating its power to let her see demons. When the lilting “Come in!” sounded from the other side, she turned the knob and entered, Adam trailing behind her.

Livia was a shorter woman with strawberry-blonde hair cut into a long layered bob with thick fringe across her forehead. She smiled at them, her pale blue eyes seeming to sparkle with amusement at the singing coming from behind the two “agents”. There was very little in the way of jewelry save for a delicate gold crucifix around her neck and another dainty gold ring with a pale princess-cut sapphire the same color as her eyes set between two green and pink tourmaline gems, both barion-cut with points facing opposite of the center gemstone. It was on her right hand and set on her ring finger. She absolutely didn’t look like the social media pictures of Sylvia that were online still. What’s more, she couldn’t sense demonic energy directly around the young woman.

“Please, have a seat, agents,” Livia told them pleasantly, and she indicated the worn but comfortable-looking chairs in front of her desk. “How can I help you?”

“We’re investigating the death of the landlord of this property, Matthias Parker. We wanted to ask some questions,” Ruby started.

“Oh, him. What a tragedy. While we had disagreements, but no one wanted him dead. We were working on raising money to find a new location to build a proper church at. I’m sure you could tell from the sign out front,” Livia replied, expression falling to one of sorrow.

“We did.” Adam picked up the conversation from there. “We were hoping we could talk to the pastor or assistant pastor for some more information.”

“Pastor Lucas is out of town on business, and Assistant Pastor Zachary is dealing with business for the church,” the secretary explained.

“About the eviction?” Ruby supplied, waiting for the reaction.

Livia’ s eyes went wide briefly, and there was a flash of something that was almost annoyance, but the young woman hid it quickly, letting out a resigned sigh and a brief nod.

“That’s right, you’re Federal agents. Yes, Mr Parker came by to serve an eviction notice to give us ninety days to be out of the property. Zachary was able to offer an extra rent payment to hold it off, and of course, he did bring up breach of contract. He’s a trained attorney who turned to God rather than defend the wicked. We’ve been engaged for a few months now.” Livia gave them a bashful, girlish smile.

“Congratulations,” Ruby told her with a wider smile. “So, then, we’d like to ask you a few more things, and honestly, you probably would be the better person to ask. Have you noticed anything odd among the congregants?”

“Like odd behavior, outbursts, arguments?” Adam supplied. “Or are any of your congregants newer? Loners?”

Livia tapped her lower lip with a long, well-manicured fingernail. “Well, there’s this new girl, around my age, early twenties. During the session with Pastor Lucas, she she was here to make a new start and let God lead her on a better path.” She opened up a drawer, looking through a few letters, and she pulled out a photo. “This is her, Sylvia Rubio. She’s nice enough, but very quiet.”

 _Sylvia? If it’s her..._ Ruby banished the thought as she looked at the photograph. The young woman pictured had deep black hair, long and straight and worn pulled back with a headband. Her eyes were dark; it was hard to tell what shade of brown they were with the photo. It looked close enough to the social media photos Ruby saw earlier that she was immediately suspicious.

She showed the photo to Adam, finger-spelling “Looks like her” out of Livia’s line of sight. Adam merely shook his fist up and down to signify “yes” and passed the photo back to Livia. _I’m glad he started learning ASL for Eileen_ , Ruby thought.

“Where can we find her?” he asked, pulling out his phone to take the address. Livia complied immediately, passing the envelope that had the newcomer’s name and address on it along with her application for membership.

“You have applications?” Ruby wondered.

“Well, I mean, if the synagogues can do it, we can, too,” Livia reasoned. “Sylvia was sponsored by Pastor Lucas, though.”

Ruby just shrugged, waiting for Adam to finish entering the address. “Thank you for the help. If you see or hear anything, please let us know.”

“I will, and I’ll be sure to let you know when Zachary is around,” Livia added, taking one of Ruby’s cards. “Here, I’ll walk you out.” She stood and led the way, noting that the singing session had ended, the congregants having already mostly cleared out. In one of the last pews, an older, somewhat unkempt man was snoring. He had the telltale smell of some dank weed.

“Silas Winston, _what_ are you doing?” Livia exclaimed, reaching out to shake the man’s arm. “When did you last wear something clean? You come in here every day and do this. Don’t you remember what Pastor Zachary told you?”

The man startled awake, and then gave the young woman a sleepy lazy smile. “Oh, hey, Liv. Sorry, I forgot. Closed? I’ll head out, I guess.” He leered at Ruby after looking her over. “S’up, foxy?”

“That’s inappropriate,” Livia told him firmly. Her voice made this magical transformation from sweet and pleasant to condescending saccharine only seconds into the conversation.

“Oh, sorry,” Silas said as a poor attempt at an apology. He pulled himself up and shuffled out of the pew. “Later, taters.”

The three watched him leave, and Livia clucked her tongue in distaste. “He comes in smelling like cannabis and poor nutritional choices a every time we have a service, from open to close. I don’t know why Pastor Lucas doesn’t _say_ something.” She gave the two hunters an apologetic smile. “Sorry you had to see that. Anyway, I’ll see what I can find for you tomorrow. Good night!”

Adam raised an eyebrow at Ruby questioningly, but the witch already gave Livia a smile. “Thank you. Good night.” She turned to head out with Adam behind her.

The two didn’t speak until they were in the Mustang with the ending running. “Okay, that went pretty damn weird at the end,” Adam said. “I mean, she seemed nice and really sweet in the office, but that was a bit of a shift at the end.”

“Well, not to downplay that, but if they’ve been dealing with that fellow for a while, I could see why they’d want to maintain a ‘cleaner’ image,” Ruby said. “But a church should be welcome to all, not just whoever fits their mold. I’ve always hated those kinds of people. They pretend to be kind, to be welcoming, to follow their Jesus, and then they vote for assholes, do racist shit, and turn a blind eye to the homeless people in the street.”

“Wow, don’t mince words,” Adam said. “Tell me how you really feel.” He relaxed, however, considering her words. “I know it’s not all of them, but enough of them to make people distrustful. Anyway, we’re actually not far from this Sylvia’s address. It does look like her from this girl’s old posts.”

Ruby nodded and kept driving, getting her temper under control. Her own experiences with clergy were tainted, of course, by the affair with Fiovarante, the cleric who wooed her and abandoned her once she was pregnant. Asshole, she thought.

She parked the vehicle a block away so their target wouldn’t notice it. They were in luck; from their spot, they could see a silver 1998 Ford Focus pulling into the driveway of a small little house. A shorter woman, about 5’3” stepped out, holding her bag close to her. She gripped her keys tightly in her hand, looking around fearfully.

“Not quite the behavior of a serial killer,” Adam commented. “Let’s talk to her.”

As the two approached the house, they saw another figure approaching from the opposite side. He was of medium height, under 6’, wearing a black windbreaker, jeans, boots, and a scarf wrapped around his face, even though it wasn’t very windy. The man walked with a purpose, making a beeline towards the young woman as she headed to her front porch.

“Intercept,” Ruby told Adam. “I’ll talk to her.” She cleared her throat and called out from a house away. “Hey, there, are you Sylvia Rubio?” She hoped her voice was loud enough to carry and make the would-be assailant think twice.

Adam since darted around with inhuman speed across the street and went unnoticed by both of the other parties as his partner had pulled the attention to themselves. Ruby continued on, talking. “Hi Sylvia, I came by to talk to you. The Secretary at Nazareth Church said you lived here.”

“Y-yeah? Why do you want me?” The young woman was clearly nervous, so Ruby put on her best smile and approached. She was pleased to see the man had indeed been scared off and was quickly turning back the way he came with another figure following.

Now closer, Ruby lowered her voice. “I’m Agent Cortese, FBI. I wanted to have a word with you about the death of Matthias Parker.”

“Oh shit,” the woman gasped, a whine in her voice. She looked distraught. “Oh shit, I didn’t...”

Ruby held up her hands placatingly. “No one is accusing you of anything. I just want to talk.” As soon as she was by the woman, she whispered, “If someone is hurting you, I can help.” What she didn’t say that if this Sylvia was the same serial killer as before, she wouldn’t have to fear anyone else but Ruby.

“O-okay,” Sylvia said, and she looked over her shoulder in the opposite direction. Seeing no one, she heaved a sigh of relief and led the way to the door, letting them both in.

The inside was warm and cozy, decorated in a sort of thrift store chic meets woodland/dark fairy goth. Sylvia removed her coat and hat, revealing that she wore a black flowing dress with an oversized sweatshirt falling off one shoulder, the words “Internally Screaming” written across the front in small letters.

“W-want some tea?” she asked Ruby.

“Sounds good. Sweet and creamy?” Ruby replied.

“You got it,” the woman replied, and soon came out with two steamy mugs of Lady Grey tea.

“So who was that guy following you?” the witch immediately asked. “Are you in trouble?”

“Lady, I mean, Agent, I have no idea,” Sylvia said. When she spoke, her speech was in a very natural New Jersey accent. “I moved here a bit back, trying to get away from life back east, to slow down. I went looking into a church and found one really laid back, really accepting, but I decided against joining. I study witchcraft instead.”

“The real thing?” Ruby asked.

Sylvia’s eyes widened, but she nodded. “I ain’t evil. It’s just part of me.”

Ruby nodded. No, this couldn’t be the same Sylvia. “So what about that guy then?”

“I’ve seen this guy, face hidden, in some of the places I go,” the frightened woman continued. “Just in the background. He only started showing up when I asked to withdraw my application from Nazareth Church. The place was full of sweet, kind people, so I didn’t want to believe someone there would stalk me. I filed police reports and all that, but they just look at me like some weirdo freak and nothing happens.”

“So he’s just following you? Have you been threatened?” Ruby asked, and she reached to stroke her pendant. Sylvia wasn’t a demon, nor did she have the signs of anyone who consorted with demons or had made a deal.

“I got postcards, no return address,” Sylvia replied, and she reached for a box under her couch, handing over a collection of six postcards. All of them were machine-printed text, using the same Times New Roman font, with different statements, including “Suffer not a witch to live” and “Return to the right path and repent your wickedness”.

“Woooow, messed up,” Ruby replied, frowning sharply.

“Yeah, and then I heard about Mr Parker,” Sylvia continued, and then she held up one more card that read “You’re NEXT.” in bold, red letters. “I’m getting outta here, Agent. Gonna visits my friend in New Orleans for a couple weeks. Hopefully I’ll get back and they’ll quit.”

“Do that. Cover your tracks, too,” Ruby said. “When do you leave?”

“Day after tomorrow. You a witch, too?” Sylvia asked, and Ruby nodded. “Oh thank God,” she sighed.

“Here’s my card. You call me the moment you run into trouble, okay?” the hunter insisted.

“I will,” the younger woman promised. When Ruby held out a small muslin-wrapped package, she took it.

“Keep this hex bag with you. It’ll hide you from demons. Yes, they’re real. I can make myself another one.” Ruby might have said more, but she got a text.

[He’s gone,] Adam told her. [He had black eyes, though. Definitely a demon. Heading back.]

“Shit,” Ruby muttered. “He got away.”

“Are you really FBI?” Sylvia wanted to know.

“We’re _better_ than that,” Ruby replied. “We’re going to put this to bed once and for all.”


	30. Live and Let Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _What does it matter to you?  
>  When you got a job to do  
> You got to do it well  
> You got to give the other fellow hell_
> 
> Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney & Wings

Adam met Ruby outside of Sylvia’s house, and he nodded to the young woman who peeked out from behind her metal security door so she could wave at them.

“Do you think that hex bag is enough to protect her?” Adam asked, turning to walk back to The Boss where it waited a block away.

“As long as she keeps it on her, demons won’t know where she is. They’d have to break into her house and physically see her to know where she is,” Ruby replied. “And what was that dash thing you did to cross the street so quickly?”

The taller man gave her a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders. “Well, I mean, angels can fly. I can hop.” He made a gesture that looked like wings flapping. “Not like that, you see, but a little bit of spacial manipulation. That’s really about as far as I can go and still be able to function.”

“Huh,” the witch replied, thinking it over. As a brief wind blew in their direction, Ruby couldn’t stifle the shudder reflex. What made her stiffen a bit, however, was Adam sliding an arm around her shoulders as they walked.

“Is this ok?” he asked. “I can stop.”

She nodded. “No, it’s ok. But tell me more. Has this power increased? How good are you at using it?”

Adam let out a sigh. “It gets easier every time I try something or — or every time I die. I’m not about to kill myself to see how much stronger I can get. I’ve died twice since coming back, once when some asshole tried to run my bike off the road, and then fighting your dad. The demon. I mean — shit. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Adam,” Ruby told him. _He’s cute when he’s flustered_ , she thought to herself. “I don’t want you to risk it any more. If you’re uncomfortable using the angel juice, then don’t use it.” With a bite of her lip, she remembered something. “Sam had powers once. He must have done something to rid himself of it. I don’t know what kind of ritual can cure what Azazel did, what sort of purification is necessary, but he lost the demonic taint at some point.”

“Well, you could ask him,” Adam suggested. “But for now, what’s our next plan, Boss Lady?”

They reached the other Boss, Ruby’s Mustang, and she unlocked the doors so they could get in. “Well, let’s review the evidence. This young lady is clearly not the one we’re looking for, being Sylvia De León. I sensed no demonic taint on her at all, so she’s not a demon, either. I’ll have Captain Moody run a background check on her.” She did just that, texting the officer. “Wow, he said he’s on it. I guess he was sincere.”

“Well, someone’s murdering people in his town, and it’s not a monster, only a human monster,” her partner told her. “Come on, let’s get some takeout and head to the hotel to review in relative comfort. Not like the ride here is uncomfortable, but you know.”

“I get it,” Ruby replied, and she started up the car and drove off. It didn’t take them long to find some Chinese takeout and a liquor store for drinks, and soon they were in the hotel in something more comfortable to lounge in. They sat on the bed, looking over the file given to them by Moody.

“So there’s another thing here. I wonder if Moody snuck it in.” She was silent for a moment, reading over the notes. “Well, hell,” Ruby uttered. “Three months ago, the last pastor, Reggie Wilson, went missing. It came out that he was cheating on his wife, and she’d left him a week prior. Hey, Adam, see if you can pull up any articles?”

“On top of that,” Adam said, doing a search. “How long after did this new pastor enter the equation?”

“Says here only a week after Wilson’s disappearance,” Ruby told him. “What’d you find?”

“Two weeks prior to that, a new secretary and Assistant Pastor started at Nazareth Church. Guess who?” He looked up at the witch with a smirk.

“Balls,” the witch cursed, meeting Adam’s gaze. “So what if it’s the three of them, and one is a demon?”

“‘Balls’, indeed,” he replied, feeling her frustration. “And this newer pastor is out of town. Yeah, we should get back to the church in the morning and see if we can catch the Assistant Pastor.”

Ruby sighed. “Sounds like a plan. So why don’t we clean up and hit the hay a bit earlier tonight?”

“Are you going to relegate me to the couch again?” Adam asked, starting to clean up their dinner.

“Why, do you think I should?” Ruby asked. She stood up to safely put away the file and its paperwork. Once it was up, she turned out the lights, only leaving one on in the bathroom in case they needed to see.

“Well, I’d like to sleep in a real bed with a pretty lady,” he told her coming back over to stand before her. “I’ll be a gentleman.”

Ruby looked up at him. She knew she was afraid of something, that it was holding her back. What was it she wasn’t letting go of? Was there a sign to be seen? She reached up with a gentle hand to flick a stray hair off of his forehead. “Okay, you can join me, but...” Her eyes pleadingly met his.

“I know,” he said. “I _understand_.” Adam instead gave her a kiss on her forehead and moved to crawl into bed, Ruby right behind him to lay on her own side.

The next morning, Ruby woke up before Adam to have her shower and get ready. Once they both were ready for the day, they set out for the church again, hoping to get in early enough to see the Assistant Pastor. The whole time getting ready, eating breakfast while bantering with Adam, and driving to the church, she kept thinking of how she was getting more and more comfortable in being close to Adam. As a demon, she’d just seduce whoever she wanted and didn’t care about romantic attraction until Sam came along. Now that she was alive again, she hadn’t been inclined to sleep with anyone, the thought only entering her mind when she was close to Adam.

After making one quick stop for coffee, The Boss finally pulled in to the parking lot at Nazareth Church. Ruby could hear singing from inside as she got out of her car.

“Sounds like they’re in the middle of services,” Adam said. “I guess they must have like some kind of prayer meeting going on.” He came around the other side so he could talk more quietly with his partner. “If their main pastor is out of town, then the Assistant Pastor must be running the show.” He tilted his head towards the building. “Shall we join in? Perhaps make a joyful noise unto Jack?”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “You know it’s _not_ Jack they’re singing about. But sure, we can sit in on the service.” She gave him a small smile and then turned to head inside, positive he was just behind her.

It was exactly as Adam thought: the congregation was in the first half of their morning worship service. The two hunters slipped in quietly and sat in the back row where the stoner, Silas Wilson, had been just yesterday afternoon. I thought Livia said he was here every day, Ruby thought. She scanned the congregation in front of her, but she didn’t see him anywhere. Maybe the kid is sleeping it off. She pushed the thought away for now and concentrated on the preacher who was sitting on the pulpit with a couple of deacons and the choir.

It really was quite the informal arrangement. The people on the pulpit were dressed in various stages of casual, if clean and crisp, clothing. Some wore jeans, some skirts, button-up shirts, comfortable sweaters, except for the one Ruby was sure was the Assistant Pastor, a white man with short dark hair with an far side part, enough to leave some hair to cover part of his forehead. He wore a casual suit in black with a grey boatneck shirt underneath the sport jacket. It made a stylish contrast to the others gathered, and it lent an air of authority.

After a few more hymns and some prayers, Zachary stood to preach. His sermon was one about freedom and actions and results, but there were certain ways he’d say something, almost like giving the congregation encouragement to indulge and that consequences could be put off, though they do catch up to a person. His attitude was quite casual, but it seemed to go with the church overall. That nagging feeling, however, wouldn’t go away, so Ruby touched her pendant, letting it enhance her senses and sight.

What she saw made her eyes go wide and a pit form in her stomach. She reached out to grab Adam’s hand, surprising him into looking at her. Ruby tilted her head towards the pulpit and opened her phone to type a word: DEMON.

Adam sucked in a sharp breath, but he didn’t have any other outward reaction. They couldn’t bring up any suspicion until they had the demon alone, and Ruby knew Adam understood that. Instead, they’d have to bide their time.

The sermon didn’t go on for much longer, and after a prayer and one more hymn, the service was called to a close. Ruby deactivated the pendant’s power just in case Zachary might detect what it was, and she stood to go head towards his office to cut the demon off.

“I’m sorry, I have a little work to do,” Zachary told them apologetically. “Can you come back in an hour when my secretary is available?”

“Come on, Zack,” Ruby said. “We’re looking to cut a deal, right?” She glanced at Adam.

“Yeah,” the other hunter affirmed. “See, we’re a little at a crossroads right now.” He picked up that Ruby seemed to know the demon and that he was a Crossroads Demon.

The demon’s eyes went wide, but he hid it quickly under a placating smile. “Oh, I see. Well, then, why don’t you both come into my office?”

“A pleasure, thank you,” Ruby said sweetly. Once Adam walked in, she gestured. “After you, sir.”

Once the group were securely in the office, they took their seats, not with Zachary, or more accurately, Zach, behind the desk, but with the three at comfy chairs in another corner of the office, presumably where counseling would take place.

“I knew this would happen,” the demon sighed. “I knew it!” Shrugging to himself, he leaned back in his chair a bit. “But how do you know to call me Zack. It was rather pointed.”

“Do you remember a demon named Ruby?” the witch asked.

Zack narrowed his eyes. “Her? Yeah, she was the one who kicked off th Apocalypse. I’ve worked with her a couple of times, mostly when I needed hellhounds to call in contracts.

“Tada!” Ruby sang, pointing to herself. “An angel owed me a favor,” she told him, not bothering to let him in on any details. “I came back human, and now I’m following up on something.”

“Was it Castiel? Because Castiel summoned me in Missouri to see if demons were murdering people. I was so bored,” Zack complained. “Turned out to be some human girl with a hate for sinners.”

“Wait, it was Castiel that summoned you there? Oh, this gets better. Apparently he didn’t tell my brother about that.”

“Yeah, he and the nephilim kid were there. I offered to help, but they weren’t having it,” the demon said. “Heh. I found something to do in the end. When they arrested the girl behind the murders, I drove off with her.”

“Sylvia,” Adam said. “And where is she now? And why are you so casual about this when you know we could just gank you here and now?”

“Because you’ll need me to find her. Problem is that I can’t tell you where or who she is,” Zack said matter-of-factly. “I’ve been bound. She bound me. It was in the contract that she could bind a demon, and I naively didn’t expect her to choose me as the demon to bind. Trust me, I made one hell of a mistake. When I reached out to the Queen, she told me, and I quote, ‘Fix it yer own damned self, laddie’ and made my cup of blood boil over.”

“That’s what you get for messing with her rules,” Ruby said with a smirk. “And, for the record, Rowena is a friend.”

“Ruby even lives in her apartment,” Adam added. “But we want Sylvia stopped, and I suppose you want out of your contract.”

“I want to call my hellhound to take the bitch already. I can’t summon Fluffy while I’m bound,” Zack spat out. “Look, can you help me?” He held up his right hand with a ring that was gold set with a sapphire and two tourmaline stones. It looked familiar to Ruby, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“Can you tell us anything?” the witch asked him. This was becoming very frustrating.

The demon sighed heavily. “She’s already taken out someone last night. Again, can’t say, but there’s someone on her agenda for tonight. Think about sins. Think _hard_ about sins.”

“As if you don’t. Everyone’s a sinner if you follow Christianity,” Adam said, not bothering to hide his exasperation. “Wait, there was that one guy from last night, the stoner.”

“Sloth? Oh hell, that seems like a likely choice. We need to find him,” Ruby realized.

“Too late, amigos. He’s already dead. You have today to find Sylvia and her target,” Zack said. “And I told you, I promise. You get me freed, and I’ll make sure the bitch gets what she deserves.”


	31. No Quarter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Walking side-by-side with death  
>  The devil mocks their every step, ooh  
> The snow drives back the foot that's slow  
> The dogs of doom are howling more_
> 
> No Quarter - Led Zeppelin

“So he was _pissed_ ,” Adam said as the pair made it back to Ruby’s Mustang. The two of them had spent an hour or so in The Assistant Pastor’s office, learning what they could about their pastor and what Zack was doing there.

“And with reason,” Ruby replied, starting the engine. “And our stoner Silas is already dead. I know the type of binding he was talking about. That binding ring is the real deal. I could see the power it had over him, even without using the pendant’s gifts. I’m just trying to remember where I’ve seen a similar ring before.”

Now this was pissing her off. She knew she’d seen it. It was very recent, but every time her mind tried to focus on it, the thought would slip away like mercury. “There’s a spell in play, one I can’t place. I should be able to remember where I saw that ring.”

“Yeah, you, too? There aren’t any hex bags on you?” Adam wondered, frowning in concern.

Ruby concentrated a moment before putting the car in gear, touching the pendant for extra range. “No. And magic like this, I think it has something to do with terms in their contract, magic imbedded into the control. You know, binding the Crossroads Demon you made the deal with is actually pretty clever, but it probably is in complete conflict with something else in the contract, too.” She finally put the Mustang into gear and set off.

“Is there anything you can do to break whatever effect it’s having on us?” Adam asked her. “If it’s affecting our ability to remember, then I’d hate to think what might happen if we see the damn thing again.”

“I think I know of a spell, something to isolate one from effects for a certain amount of time. So much about yesterday is a blur except for Silas being told off, and then meeting the Sylvia who is not Sylvia, the young witch.” She sighed, thinking of the girl. “Adam, I can’t help but worry about her, especially if there was a demon...” Ruby trailed off, considering it.

“There is a demon, and we just walked out of his office,” Adam realized. “I think he could be it, but we still don’t know about the full-time pastor, this Pastor Lucas.”

“Dude said Pastor Lucas was legit out of town and had zero to do with this,” Ruby reminded Adam. They’d brought it up just before leaving Zack’s company.

_“No, he has zero to do with this, but he’s sketchy as all get out,” The demon told them. “Something’s not right. When he’s here, folks who come in with colds and sniffles walk out like they were never sick. But there was this time we were vandalized, and after they caught the guy, he had shingles. Dude was 21 years old. It’s really rare for someone to have shingles that young.”_

“Yeah, which means we may have a second case to contend with when this one is wrapped up,” Adam lamented. “If I were going to pray, I’d pray for him to not be some kind of evil asshat.”

Ruby snorted. “Same.” Once on the road, she put in a call to Captain Moody on speaker. “Hey, there’s another gone.”

“Yeah, Silas Wilson,” the officer said. “That the one?”

“You found him?” Adam asked. “We just were at the church, and he wasn’t there. They said he’s always there during services and stays all day.”

“Yeah, we found him. Fingers cut off and shoved in his mouth. Bong shoved up his ass. No sulfur on him this time,” the police captain replied. “When’d you find out?”

“This morning. We found the demon, but he’s been bound by someone. He practically confirmed it was Sylvia. And for the record, we found another Sylvia, but she’s not our murderer. She...” Ruby trailed off. “She could be next. _Shit_.”

“Go after her, call when you have something for the police,” Moody insisted. He disconnected, and Ruby turned the car around to head back over to the house they visited last night.

“Wasn’t it the secretary that brought up Sylvia to us?” Adam asked as Ruby drove. “And wait. She was the one who fussed at Silas last night. Could it be her?”

As Adam spoke the words, Ruby touched her pendant again, feeling the urge to do so. At once, the walls around her memory broke, and she could see easily who was wearing the compliment to Zack’s ring.

“It’s her. Livia is Sylvia! She was wearing a gold ring set with sapphire and multi-colored tourmaline!” Ruby then let out a string of curses as she drove.

“But the demon I chased last night was black-eyed. If she had Zack under a binding spell, then shouldn’t we have seen a red-eyed demon?” Adam wondered. “Unless there’s another demon, like maybe the Pastor.”

“I don’t know why he’d tell us the Pastor is a healer and not that he’s a demon,” Ruby countered. “I know how demons think. If he thinks there’s no harm in letting out information, he’ll be up front like that. But demons can heal under the proper circumstances, especially if it benefits them to do so. Maybe Pastor di Soreni is a demon and is also under compulsion.”

“I’ll call Sylvia,” Adam quickly said, and he was on it in seconds. “Hey, Sylvia, it’s Ruby’s partner, Adam. Yes, she was ‘Agent Cortese’. Look, find somewhere in your house to hide. Put yourself inside a circle of salt and make sure nothing can blow it away. If Livia Sylvester, you know, from the church, shows up, do not let her in, and if you have a gun, you defend yourself. No, no time to argue. She has a demon working for her, maybe two. All right, yes, we’re on our way.”

He paused for a moment, listening to her, and then something made him start. “What the hell was that? Sylvia? Shit.” He looked over at Ruby. “Sounded like something blew the door in... crap, gunshots!”

Ruby swore again loudly and floored the gas, propelling The Boss forward. With a murmur of magic, she kept anyone from getting in her way or even noticing the speed and the red lights she ran with deft control of her car.

They arrived at the house in record time, and both hunters nearly jumped out of the car. The front door of the house was broken in, and inside there were sounds of a struggle. With her demon-killing knife in hand, Ruby ran forward, stopped at the side of the front door, and cautiously looked in.

Inside a half-formed salt circle stood Sylvia who held a Walther P22 pistol in her hands at the ready. She was bleeding from a cut on her forehead and cheek as well as a few other lacerations on her bicep. Obvious bruising from fighting could be seen over one eye and her broken nose.

Her assailant wasn’t much better. Livia Sylvester, now known to really be Sylvia De León, stood back with a gunshot wound in her shoulder from the .22 and a number of bruises and cuts, including one that looked like Sylvia Rubio had smacked her good in the side of her head with the Walther.

“You are a filthy _dirty_ sinner. A whore. A liar to God and His Church. A witch shall not be permitted to live!” “Livia” cried out.

“Says the bitch consorting with and binding demons to do her dirty work,” Ruby called out. Next to her, Adam had his gun out, trained on the serial killer.

“Zack!” the murderer called out, and in the next moment, Adam found himself punched in the back of his head. Before Ruby could react, strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off of the ground in an vice-like bear hug.

“Zack, I _know_ you’re bound by her commands. I’m sorry, but you have to fight it!” the witch cried out.

“Don’t you think I’ve _tried_?” he replied in a growl at Ruby’s ear. “Killing under command is completely _not_ fun.”

“So, Sylvia. You have an option. Put the gun down and come with me, or I have Zack crush your pretty new friend.” “Livia” smirked, still holding her hand on her wounded shoulder to stop the bleeding.

“You don’t know me, Sylvia Rubio,” Ruby called out, being specific. It was getting harder to breath with the crushing hold Zack had on her. “Kill her!”

Sylvia’s arms wavered, though the gun was still trained on the serial killer. “I c-can’t let someone die for me.”

“And this is why all of you are going to die,” Sylvia De León told her, the smirk growing broader until it was a wicked, deranged grin. “Only one of you gets the real punishment, my special machine. You must die knowing why you’re dead so you can take the lesson to Hell with you. Oh, Zack told me how much you remember when you die, and that you don’t even get to become demons.”

“You’re going to be a demon,” Ruby told her. “Oh, don’t you know that’s what happens with your contract? I was a demon. I made a deal. It happened to me. Just wait until the hellhounds come for you.”

“You’re lying,” the murderer said. “You’d do anything to make me tell Zack to let you go.” With that, she took a step towards the frightened Sylvia. “You need to die for your sins!”

“I’m not lying. I have no reason to lie about my own death,” Ruby said. “Come on, Zack, tell her.”

“Livia” actually froze, looking at Zack. “She’s lying. Tell me the truth. NOW.”

Zack released his hold just a little. “It’s true. The moment that goddamn ring comes off of your finger, I’m calling my hellhound to rip you apart and drag your soul to hell for breach of your contract. I’ll make sure the Queen sees you herself to decide your punishment.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby could see that Adam was gone from where he fell. She tried not to focus her vision on him as he appeared just behind Sylvia De León’s position. Instead, she forced herself to look at the disguised woman.

“Zack, throw our host against the wall, and then crush this woman,” the murderer demanded, and then she started laughing as the resident Sylvia was telekinetically thrown back to hit the wall behind her with force enough to knock her out. 

“Now kill this witch bitch!” The serial killer demanded hysterically.

The demon let out a sigh and started squeezing, though as his way to fight the binding, he took his sweet time about tightening his grip. Ruby found herself feeling the pressure, her ribs and arms starting to feel like they could crack at any moment. She couldn’t help but cry out, which had Sylvia De León‘s attention solely on her. The murdered laughed again at Ruby’s distress.

“I will _not_ stop punishing sinners to protect my Church,” the killer Sylvia stated. “In fact, I’ll go doub— AAAAAH!!”

The killer Sylvia fell to her knees, holding her right hand close. Ruby could see immediately that it was missing its four fingers, with Adam holding a knife just to her side. He leaned down and retrieved the finger that had the ring on it, and with a flex of his powers, the ring snapped in half.

“Aaaah! Finally!” Zack said, releasing Ruby. “You and your boyfriend should get the girl and move out of the way.” He paused for a beat. “I owe you, Ruby.” He waited just long enough for the two hunters to move the resident Sylvia away and into another room where he knew his former demon friend would be watching.

Once it was barely safe enough, Zack whistled. In moments, there was a sound like air being displaced, and then a loud, deep, unnatural growling at his side. The demon lifted his hand up to waist height and appeared to be stroking something affectionately. “Meet Fluffy, my Very Good Bad Boy.”

“N-no!” the serial killer shrieked, and then that was all anyone ever heard from her short of screams as the hellhound tore into her. For anyone who couldn’t see the hellhound, massive tooth marks appeared in the woman’s skin, claw marks three times the width of a bear’s dug across her legs. The hellhound finally pulled off, looking like he was pulling something with his teeth, and then he backed out and faded away as he drug the soul of Sylvia De León to her fate in Hell.

Zack stood there, looking at the mess in the house. Ruby peered out of the room, then she walked over, Adam and the now-conscious Sylvia Rubio following her.

“A-at least it’s only b-blood there. B-but how do I explain this to the cops?” Sylvia despaired.

“I’ll handle that part,” Zack offered. “The boss told me to clean up my mess. I did everything I can to keep other demons off my ass for this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a contacts case. Inside were two fully black contact lenses. Concentrating, the case crushed in on itself, dissolving the whole thing to powder. Next, he repeated the same with his ring.

“Nice work,” Ruby told him, going to put an comforting arm around Sylvia.

“So take the girl someplace and get her cleaned up. I’ll get this place clean and relocate the body somewhere the cops can safely find it,” Zack said, actually looking chagrined. “Maybe this’ll get me back in the Queen’s good graces. I’ll let you know when it’s safe, and then we’ll be in touch.”

“I’m sure of it,” the former demon told him, and with that, she went to help Sylvia retrieve her packed bag so she could go with the two hunters. Adam remained for a moment, however, fixing Zack with a hard look.

“We’re going to talk for sure,” Adam said, and then he followed Ruby and Sylvia out.


	32. Little Dreamer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _They may talk about you cold when you were  
>  Headed for the skies  
> But you were young and bold and baby  
> Didn't that change with a wink o' your eye?  
> Now no one's talking 'bout those crazy days gone by  
> No one talks about the times you cried_
> 
> Little Dreamer - Van Halen

Ruby was sitting in her hotel room while Adam finished healing Sylvia when they got a call from Captain Moody. She answered on speakerphone. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Looks like we found one super torn up Livia Sylvester in the woods not far from where we found Matthias Parker. There was a key on her body that one of my boys checked out. It opened a shed in the back of the church, and in it was the body of the old pastor, Reginald Wilson. Damn shame, but it came out Reg was caught in an affair, and it looked like he’d left his wife,” the officer told them. “We had reason to believe she was going after Sylvia Rubio next.”

“We have Sylvia, Hank,” Ruby said. “I’m glad you found Livia. Run a DNA check on her, won’t you?”

“Why do I have the feeling I’m going to find I don’t like what I find?” Moody asked.

“Oh, this’ll be good,” the witch told him. “It’ll wrap up some unfinished business quite nicely. All we have left to do on our side is some cleanup.”

“See that you do, and thanks for the tip,” Captain Moody said, actually sounding a little relieved. “And don’t forget, I owe you kids dinner.”

“How could we forget?” Adam asked. “At least one of us is a total carnivore.”

“Good man!” The captain replied with a laugh. “Well, I’ve got just the place in mind. Message me when you’re free.”

“Will do,” Ruby said. “Bye, Hank.”

The moment the phone call ended, there was a knock on the door. Adam went to check it, this time making sure his angel blade was on hand. After making a long-suffering sigh, he opened the door and kicked aside the doormat; it had a devil’s trap painted on its underside.

In stepped Zack, looking a little disheveled, but at least he’d stopped to put on a new suit. “Sylvia, this Sylvia, has a clean and repaired house. I’m sure you heard about the Livia-Sylvia. So it looks like my work here is done. I’m going back to my boring crossroads in Missouri.”

“Don’t you think it’d be suspicious if you didn’t hang around?” Adam asked. “I mean, yeah, they’d ask you about Livia there, but you can keep the direction of the conversation going the right way and then take a mournful leave of absence.”

“And then not come back,” Ruby added. “Maybe Rowena might cut the shitty assignments she’s going to give you from a thousand years to five hundred.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. Okay, I’ll make nice with the humans,” Zack said with a sigh. “And I know: no more deals. My eternity is going to be as boring as Heaven.”

“We could cut it short for you,” Adam offered, spinning his angel blade around with a wicked grin.

“Er, no thanks,” the demon said nervously. He looked over at the sleeping Sylvia on the bed. “Gonna take her home?”

“Yep, and tuck her in and let her wake up later,” Ruby replied. “She can call me later if she wants to, but I’m keen to find out about Pastor Lucas.”

“I told you, he has nothing to do with this,” Zack began defensively.

“So you know who he is and what his deal is?” Adam urged. “Come on, we need to rule him out if we’re gonna move on.”

Zack let out a huff of air. “Fine, so I’ll tell you. He’s a hunter, kinda like you two are. He’s not fully human, or at least in the way that he’d die or something, so I don’t know. Maybe a witch? All I know is that he did a favor to someone ages ago and got some magic. Now he’s looking for some kind of locket that was stolen from him.”

“Is that why he came here to pose as a pastor?” Ruby asked. “What could he want here?”

“Beats me,” the demon shrugged. “He knew I was a demon and had me do some investigation for him. When he split, Sylvia, er, Livia, started her killing spree. I mean, he told his staff he’d be gone for a month at least, but I know he split for good. I have a resignation letter to read during service in a week.”

Ruby fell silent, thinking on it. There was something that pulled at her in a way she couldn’t name, something in her soul. “Can you tell us anything else?”

“Just that he’s been around for a while, maybe even as long as you,” Zack said. “You’re a witch, Ruby. Take something of his from his office and look for him. Oh wait, you didn’t get this from me. Here.” He passed her a key ring with two keys. “Now we’re even. I think you’ll want to check this out.”

“Mostly even,” Ruby said. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you know.” She took the keys, but while she wouldn’t tell the demon that, she really was interested. She looked up to meet Adam’s eyes.

“Well, have fun, you two. I need to get this boring ministering crap out of the way,” Zack said, heading towards the door. “Well, it’s more interesting that sitting at my crossroads.”

“Dude,” Adam called out, exasperate. “Get a smartphone already! Games! Books!”

Zack looked dumbly at Adam, then over at Ruby who merely shrugged. “Why did I not think of that?” he asked redundantly, and with that, he wandered out.

“Dolt,” Ruby muttered under her breath. “Is it wrong that I’m a bit relieved to find a demon who wasn’t interested in being a complete turd of a person?”

“Nah, it’s weird, but a relief,” Adam said. “So what say we prep our stuff, get Sylvia here home, get our dinner on, check out the Church, and get back to Lawrence tomorrow? Want me to put in a call to Sam?”

“Yeah, let’s do that,” the witch told him, though she looked distracted. She brushed off his concerned look, and went to go pack her bags so they could check out first thing in the morning.

Leaving Sylvia to sleep off the healing was simple enough. Adam made sure to use her key to lock the door behind them and then slide it through the mail slot on her front door. With that task done, they went to meet with Captain Hank Moody for that dinner he promised.

Ruby didn’t feel very talkative, and the fellows seemed to pick up on that. Adam touched her hand under the table once or twice, giving her a look of concern, but she smiled and shrugged, picking back up into the conversation. “I’m sorry, I zoned. What was that, Hank?”

“Oh, just that I put in a search for that Pastor Lucas, and he’s moved around a bit, had a few other jobs, but it all checked out. It’s a little too clean. Thing is, his face has been seen in other events, like on that Highlander TV show. You know, how the main dude’s face would show up in historical photographs? I found some. I’ll compile some and email them to you in a couple of days.”

“Weird, yeah. Thank you. He could be a witch, or someone under an immortality spell. He could be some other kind of creature, too, but he seems to be on some kind of quest,’ Ruby said. “Zack apparently didn’t know or wouldn’t say more, but he’s looking for some kind of locket. Do you have some of the dates and locations on you?”

“A few. Did you say you came from Sioux Falls last before you came here?” Moody asked, to which Ruby nodded. “I’ll send you some pictures, but face matches showed up what looked like his previous identity about twenty years back. A personal investigator named Rusty Sorensen looking for a missing woman named Ingrid Nordholm. As I recall, her remains were just discovered in the forest by a retired Sheriff, Jody Mills.”

Adam almost dropped his fork. “Ruby...”

“That was our hunt. Ingrid had already been dead for a while, but she’d come back as a kind of revenant called a draugr. She’d already been dealt with by the time we got there.”

“And here’s the thing,” Hank told the pair. “Pastor Lucas di Soreni had a small congregation in Sioux Falls four years ago, but a year later had his Assistant Pastor take over. This is sort of his MO, to start or build up a congregation somewhere and then move again. He disappeared until he ended up here. Nice soft-spoken man, seemed to care about people. No family.”

“And now we’ve got to find him or figure out where he’s going. I have a feeling, Hank.” Ruby let out a sigh and went back to her steak, trying to keep her mood up.

“We’re going to be heading back to Lawrence tomorrow,” Adam told Moody, taking another bite. “It’s a little late, and I think my brother would be interested to know what happened here. Also gonna check in with some other friends while we’re there. And hey, this place is awesome. Thanks for dinner!”

“Happy to,” the captain replied, silent for a moment as he tucked into his dinner once more.

After dinner and coffee, the three parted, making their goodbyes, and Ruby drove off with Adam under the cover of night to head to Nazareth Church. No one gave her a second look as she unlocked the door like she belonged there, and then let herself into the Pastor’s office.

The place was sparse, having a similar corner with comfortable chairs and a sofa for counseling, The large mahogany desk was a little worn, as well as the chair behind it. Ruby sat in it, and for just a moment, a chill went down her spine, like she’d been touched by a ghost. Shaking it off, she opened the drawers to find them cleared out of anything personally identifiable. Inside the topmost drawer, there was an empty picture frame, some loose paper clips, a stapler, and a fountain pen, which Ruby took. As she moved the pen, she saw a little slip of white from where the bottom of the drawer met its side.

It took some careful maneuvering, but Ruby managed to get the piece of paper loose. There were a series of coordinates on it, about eight, and four were already crossed off. She entered the last crossed off set on her phone in a map app, and what came up was the town they were in, Miami, Oklahoma.

Pocketing the slip, Ruby put everything how she had it except for the filched fountain pen, and then she made her way out. Doors were locked as she went through them, and she left the keys in the mailbox.

“Find anything fun?” Adam asked as Ruby sat back in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Coordinates. Care to do my legwork for me?” She handed her partner the slip of paper.

“On it, Boss-Ma’am,” he replied and fell silent as Ruby drove them back to the hotel. He seemed to find the coordinates quickly, but he started talking about a few things to get the witch’s mind off her rumination.

They made it back inside with enough left of the evening that they could look up the map coordinates.

“Whatcha got for me, Adam?” Ruby asked, pulling out her iPad so they could track things on the Maps app.

“Next on the list is an antique store in Stillwater, Minnesota.” Adam pinned the next one. “Then the next is in Roswell, NM and it corresponds to one of the Men of Letters chapter houses.” After he entered the third one, he only uttered “Shit.” and fell silent.

“What is it?” Ruby prompted, turning back to look. ‘Oh. Shit. That’s Rowena’s apartment! I mean, my apartment.”

“So if these coordinates are destinations this guy is visiting, he’s going to be knocking on your door before too long,” he told her.

“Then either we find him first, or we wait for him there,” the witch replied. “We’ll work it out on the way to Sam’s tomorrow. At least we have a little time this way.”

“The last one isn’t actually a coordinate, but some sort of code?” Adam guessed.

“Well, like I said, we have some time, but I want to check the others,” Ruby decided.

“Speaking of time, we have all kinds of time tonight,” Adam said. “So I need to ask you.” He closed the iPad on the keyboard, standing to bring Ruby over to sit next to him on the bed. “Is there something you’re afraid of? You don’t really have to tell me, but I hope I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong, Adam,” Ruby told him sincerely. “In fact, you’re doing everything right, which is what I’m afraid of. I’m afraid of anything in my life being good, or of having a chance to be truly happy. I don’t deserve any of it, but then you and I got closer, and I started feeling this for you, and then I wanted to be close. I haven’t felt any sort of... well, physical attraction for anyone until the last couple of weeks with you.”

Adam grinned. “So you’re — what’s the word? Demisexual. You feel the attraction when you get close to someone. That’s actually better than me just being super into this hot brunette that made me feel alive for the first time since being resurrected.” He reached out to take both of her hands, urging Ruby to face him.

“Adam, I...” she trailed off.

“Ruby. Look at me.” Adam’s eyes locked onto hers. “You’ve suffered in your early life. You became a demon out of your own pain and loss. Yeah, demons do shitty things. You did shitty things. You led Sam to start the Apocalypse, but you also gave Jack what he needed to prevent that from happening _ever_ again. You were _still_ a demon when you did it.”

Ruby opened her mouth the argue, but Adam still had her frozen in his gaze. “Adam, that’s different.”

“I don’t think so. And look at you. You’ve _died_ for redemption, in saving people. You picked up the burden Sam laid down. You’ve worked for Hell to return the worst to where they belong. You stopped killers. If you were to be redeeming yourself here, in my eyes, you’ve done it! Maybe you don’t see it, but I _do_ , and I love that about you.”

Adam clamped his mouth shut, and this time he _did_ look away, but Ruby reached out to touch his cheek and gently bring his face back to look at her.

“And what you just did? I love that about _you_.” She gave him an almost shy, girlish smile. When Adam leaned in to kiss her, she didn’t hesitate or shy away, but covered her half of the distance to meet him.


	33. Ramble On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Leaves are falling all around  
>  It's time I was on my way  
> Thanks to you I'm much obliged  
> For such a pleasant stay  
> But now it's time for me to go  
> The autumn moon lights my way  
> For now I smell the rain  
> And with it pain  
> And it's headed my way_
> 
> Ramble On - Led Zeppelin

Ruby hadn’t stopped smiling all day. It wasn’t like a huge grin, not like the one Adam gave her every time she caught him looking at her, but a small involuntary secret smile that lingered at her lips. She hadn’t slept as well as she did since coming back to life since resurrection than she did with Adam holding her. Sure, it was also the first time she’d even thought about sex outside of her memories, but her time with the other hunter was certainly pleasurable. Ruby was looking forward to their next time.

“Your face is going to get stuck that way,” Adam said, taking advantage of the stop light to reach out to touch the witch’s hair in a near-worshipful way. “I could get used to seeing you happy.”

“Knock it off, Winchester,” Ruby said with fake annoyance. “You’re being dangerously adorable.”

Adam laughed under his breath. “Sure, Ruby. Light’s green, by the way.”

“Twerp,” she told him with a laugh, and continued on, soon pulling up in front of the Winchester home. “You know, I hope Sam doesn’t feel resentful about us hunting and telling him about it. He seems really keen to help us, but he’s had no indicator he wants to end his retirement. I don’t want him to feel obligated to join us.”

With a shake of his head, Adam replied. “You know, I don’t think he does. Sam cares about us both, and he wants to do what he can to keep us as safe as he can by keeping us informed.” He shrugged. “That said, I get that feeling, too. It’s almost like I want to protect him.”

“After what he’s been through, what and who he’s lost, yeah. Same.” Ruby opened the door and hopped out of the car, walking around as Adam did the same. Together, they walked up to the front door, but it opened before they cold knock. An excited bundle of fur bounded out, licking and jumping up on each of the guests happily, but then he seemed to suddenly sit down, whimpering but still happy. He was pleased to accept pets on his head.

Eileen was just behind them laughing, though there was a little sadness in her eyes. “He’s excited to see you, but he forgets he’s not a young dog. Welcome back!” She went to give Ruby a tight hug, and then Adam. “Come on in,” she signed, and led the way inside.

“How old is Miracle?” Adam asked, trying to sign along as well.

Their host seemed to think about it. “Sam thinks he’s about ten,” Eileen told them. “He was a few year old when they found him. His vet said he’s going to need a hip replacement. Apparently hip dysplasia can happen in some mixed terriers.”

“Poor boy,” Ruby said. She perked up, however, hearing some laughing in the living room, and when they entered, Sam waved them in.

Sitting on one of the other chairs was a very thin man wearing glasses and dressed in a nice pair of slacks, a dress shirt, a grey sweater-vest, and a blue tie. He turned a very pleasant smile to Ruby and Adam as they entered and stood.

“Hey, this is Garth. You’ve talked on the phone a few times,” Sam said by introduction.

“Oh, come here, you,” the smaller man said, and he immediately pulled Ruby into a warm tight hug, then did the same for Adam. “I’m a hugger, not sorry about it.” His good humor was infectious, and Ruby couldn’t help but return his broad, friendly smile.

“Don’t be,” Ruby said. “There’s not enough huggers in our line of work. Keep it up.” She went to sit down, but almost sat on what looked like a cloth doll made out of socks white tube socks, lips sewed on in felt, a tassel of hair on the heel for hair, and blue button eyes sewn on. It’s outfit was a soft pair of suspenders and, yes, the puppet-doll wore socks.

“Oh, that’s Mr Fizzles, Jr,” Garth said, taking the toy. “Bess and I put him together for Little Dean, so he’d have a soft friend in his crib.”

“And we appreciate it,” Sam said honestly.

They all gathered around in the living room, sharing drinks and stories. Eileen excused herself after Little Dean started crying, going off to nurse the hungry baby.

“I swear he takes after my brother somehow,” Sam told them, smiling up at Eileen as she kissed his forehead on her way out.

“Wait until he starts asking for pie, then worry,” Garth teased. “And so, I hear you two went on a big hunt.”

“More like unfinished business, which we got taken care of, but it’s led to more questions, so we’re going to be checking it out,” Ruby said, telling Sam and Garth about the coordinates they found. “So I think it’s worth checking out who this Lucas is.”

“Our friend Donna is the sheriff in Stillwater,” Sam told him. “She’s a hunter herself, hangs out with Jody on plenty of occasion. You’ll find her to be very friendly and funny, really easy-going. Really adept at killing vampires.” He launched into the story of how they met her at a wellness clinic and the pishtaco who was using it to feed herself and her brother.

“How come I never heard that?” Garth asked, laughing. “I could imagine Dean passed out after eating that pudding!” He looked over at Adam and Ruby. “I don’t know if I’ve seen him pass up any kind of sweet, even licorice!

The three other people made disgusted face, and then laughed at their mutual repulsion. “Dean one time asked me if we got licorice when I got snacks. I told him no, we got good snacks and that licorice is made of dirt. I still stand by that to this day,” Sam told them with a grin.

“Good man,” Adam said, reaching out to clap his brother on the shoulder.

Ruby laughed, but her expression turned just a little more somber when she met Sam’s eyes, seeing the grief there. She gave him a small nod of understanding, one he returned in thanks, bringing his smile back a little.

“So how long’re you two here for?” Garth asked. He took a sip of his tea, genuinely interested.

“We’re meeting with Kieran, a friend we made, to check something for us, then we’re heading back to the Bunker to decompress. I guess after that, we head to Stillwater,” Ruby replied. “I feel like we’re on to something.”

“Well, I’ll email Donna and get you her contact information,” Sam said. “You two are welcome to stay longer if you want.”

“Nah, I’m sure Garth will want to catch up more here, and we...” Ruby trailed off, looking at Adam. From the sheepish smile they gave each other, Sam understood exactly what was going on.

“I’d say something about you having a thing for Winchesters, Ruby, but that might be a bad joke to make,” the older Winchester said, this time with a broad grin and a little pride at his younger brother.

“Well, things are what they are. We just wanted some time to talk it out at home, you know,” Adam said. “And, I mean, you can’t blame me. Ruby’s hot.”

“I’m going to die of embarrassment, come back, and haunt your ass, Adam,” Ruby told him, but she did let him take her hand. “Or kick your ass and then do all those things.” She shook her head. “But yeah.” After a long, apprehensive moment, however, she looked back up at Sam. “Is that ok?”

“It’s more than okay,” Sam said immediately. “You don’t have to ask my permission to find someone to be happy with, even this twerp.”

“You’re both calling me a twerp? Bitches!” Adam exclaimed, and the other three laughed.

“I love you guys,” Garth declared. “I’m so damn happy I came to visit!”

After another hour or so of visiting and Eileen returning from putting Little Dean down for his nap, Ruby and Adam said their goodbyes and gave many warm hugs to their friends.

Another twenty minutes of driving, and the two were at the off-campus apartment building shared by Jacob Pond and Kieran Knight. The two apparently had hit it off well enough to want to be roommates, and it worked. Kieran could help Jacob hide being a Kitsune if there were problems, and Jacob was good at getting things like dead man’s blood and pieces of organs for the young witch.

“Hope you don’t mind, but I have a ton of studying to do,” Jacob said apologetically. “I have a huge anatomy exam tomorrow.”

“We get it,” Ruby told him. “We’ll try not to have a loud party while you’re studying or anything.” When Jacob was behind his own closed door, she turned to Kieran.

Kieran Knight was a slender young man with penny copper hair who was deceptively well built and trained in Krav Maga. His martial arts training hadn’t helped him when his own abilities went awry and Ruby had to help. She was pleased he was experimenting more with magic in a safer manner.

“So I have a plan and a spell to find who this mystery GammaTriX is. I tested this spell that actually works with IP traces. Tech and magic, married!” Kieran seemed proud.

“So let’s do this,” Ruby said. With that, she opened up the chat app on her iPad.

**RedWitchR** : Hey, buddy, you around?

After some few minutes, there was a reply.

**GammaTriX** : It’s my favorite witchy lady! Rumor has it you and the youngest Winchester got down and did the deed! Oh, and thanks for helping with the draugr.

“Did you tell him?” Ruby looked up at Adam.

“Oh come on, we chat. He gave me a little advice. Apparently he’s, er, _experienced_. Very. And you weren’t complaining!” Adam said.

“Ew. Sex. Just keep up, I’m still tracing him,” Kieran told them.

**RedWitchR** : Well, I think we both needed it, and I really like him. Maybe more than like. Who knows? But what are you up to?

 **GammaTriX** : Trouble as always, doin’ the Lord’s Work. A lot of time spent cleaning house and looking for old friends.

 **RedWitchR** : Lord’s Work, huh? I wonder if that’s what we’re doing.

 **GammaTriX** : You might not be off base, babe. In one way or another, I reckon all of us are working for the greater good. There’s a lot of bullshit to clean up.

 **RedWitchR** : Sounds like you had a front-row seat.

 **GammaTriX** : I can neither confirm or deny.

Ruby looked up at Kieran. “Anything?”

Kieran looked sincerely frustrated. “It says there is no IP! Like nothing to trace. It acts like it’s all coming from inside your iPad.”

**GammaTriX** : He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.

 **RedWitchR** : Wait, what does that have to do with cleaning up?

 **GammaTriX** : You haven’t figured it out at all. He can’t find my IP because I don’t have one. You’ve gotten into the Matrix, Neo. Top secret Easter Eggs. This is the Earthly Interface for what has been so lovingly nicknamed as “Angel Radio.” This is the “AngelNet” starring yours truly.

 **RedWitchR** : You’re an angel.

“He’s an angel,” Ruby said aloud.

“He’s a _what_?” Kieran sputtered.

“Great.” Adam rolled his eyes.

**GammaTriX** : Ding ding ding ding! Give the lady a prize! And I was a very very dead angel, but my charming nephew, who, by the way, is far better than his bag-of-dicks sperm donor dad, saw fit to pull me out of the Empty. Now don’t jump, but look behind you.

_**GammaTriX has signed out.** _

Ruby held her breath, not even registering the wide-eyed stares the two fellows in the room had fixed just past her position. She turned around slowly, and still, she almost jumped.

“Boo.”

Standing just behind where Ruby sat was a handsome man with a look of absolute mirth in his eyes, warm brown hair in a slightly floppy cut, and shit-eating grin on his face.

The witch stood, unsure if she felt surprised or irritated. She settled with something in between. “Which one are you?”

The angel laughed, but then fixed her with a look intense enough to make her lose the irritation.

“Gabriel. They call me Gabriel.”


	34. Temple of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And the devil in black dress watches over  
>  My guardian angel walks away  
> Life is short and love is always over in the morning  
> Black wind come carry me far away_
> 
> Temple of Love - Sisters of Mercy

“Gabriel. They call me Gabriel,” the archangel said seriously, though there was a bit of amusement in his eyes.

“Well, that’s all _very_ dramatic, but why hide behind user names and secrets?” Adam asked, mirroring Ruby’s thoughts.

“Holy shit, a real archangel?” Kieran blurted out. “Jacob has to see this.”

“No, he doesn’t” Gabriel said. He walked over to Kieran casually and touched the ginger man on his forehead, sending him to sleep. “And you won’t remember. As far as he knows, you found nothing, and he fell asleep on you. Let’s head out, huh?”

“Sure,” Ruby agreed, though this whole thing was unsettling to her. Sam told her about Gabriel, about how Lucifer killed him in another universe. She had so many questions. Instead, she followed Gabriel out, though she did stop to scribble a note for Jacob and Kieran to thank them for their hospitality and that she and Adam didn’t want to disturb them on their way out.

“I’ll let you drive, but I claim shotgun,” Gabriel said, this time letting his amusement show as they walked to the parking garage under the apartment building.

“Dude, you’re a friggin’ archangel. Sit where you want,” Adam said. “But you know we have a crapton of questions.”

“Oh, no doubt. Let’s find a place to get something to munch on and copious amounts of coffee, and I’ll give you kids the deets.” Gabriel let himself in on the passenger side.

After a short drive, they were back at the cafe Jacob worked at, finding a nice window seat. Coffees and sandwiches were ordered, and soon the trio could get down to business.

“So have you been stalking me or something?” Ruby flat out asked.

Gabriel laughed. “Or something. I’ve been keeping an eye on you, but not because I was asked to or anything. Just because I don’t know how much of the demon is left. I knew of you before. I know what went on with Sam. I also know my nephew decided you were worth giving a second chance.”

“It was Castiel’s promise,” Ruby pointed out.

“But Jack had to give it the okay,” Adam pointed out. “And, I guess, The Shadow, huh?”

“Jack’s got all the knowledge and al the power, but he also knows he doesn’t have all the experience. He’s humble, unlike my dad,” Gabriel said. “And for all intents and purposes, Castiel is his dad. It was Cas who suggested he yank my ass out of The Empty and put back down here to keep an eye on things. We all learned there was, well, a glitch, of sorts.”

“A glitch? What kind? How so?” Ruby asked. She fell silent when their coffees and food arrived.

Gabriel grabbed a cookie and started munching. “Well, see, dear old Dad was so busy writing the great Winchester story that he pulled things out of place. They were kind of like a linchpin, a nexus for major events. With Dad not calling the shots and powerless, the things that were in motion around the Winchesters went a little nuts. There’s no real story, but Dad manipulated things to where there needed to be some kind of narrative to reality.”

“But Dean is dead, and Sam retired,” Adam said. “Sam said Jack was going to be hands off with the universe.”

“Oh, he is. So there’s been a bit of a shift. Putting you back into reality, Lady Rubes, seems to be what was needed to set reality itself back on course. You and Adam are doing a great job of absorbing stuff Sam and Dean would have had to take over, and with every one of those cases, reality is setting itself back to rights,” the archangel explained.

“No pressure,” Ruby snorted. She had already tucked into her meal, but she set her fork down to fix Gabriel with a look. “So is there anyone writing the story?”

“No,” the former-Trickster told her. “You’re writing your own story, you and Adam.”

“So what am I?” Adam asked. “Why was I left with any Grace at all?”

“Beats me, kid,” Gabriel said apologetically. “Actually, hold up.” He reached out and held one finger to Adam’s forehead without warning, and both of their eyes flashed blue. The archangel frowned, but the expression turned to one of intense interest.

“Jack revived a good number of angels, and he’s keeping them upstairs to help fuel the place. I well and truly believe you’re intended to be a Guardian Angel.” Gabriel finally said. He looked from Adam to Ruby and back. “And that, for the record, has jack shit to do with how either you feel about the other.”

The two hunters looked at each other, eyes locked for a moment as something passed between them, and Adam went back to eating. It was Ruby who spoke up.

“So are you going to work with us now? Like you did with Sam and Dean? Or are you supposed to stay out of this, too?” she asked.

“Jack is hands off. Me? There’s no fight for me. No Apocalypse. I’m actually working on trying to undo the propaganda Michael spread, you know, the biblical fanfiction. It’s been some work,” Gabriel told them. “But I took it upon myself to watch you, and I’m good with what I see. Old me would have just trapped you in some sitcom until your broke out and stabbed me with something.” He smirked.

“Are there other angels on Earth?” Adam inquired, looking nearly desperate the moment he did.

“There are,” Gabriel said. “But you’re clearly a new breed. You have a soul and Grace, but you’re not like a nephilim. Maybe we’ll find out someday, but for now, I think ‘Guardian Angel’ suits you.” He snapped his fingers. “So I paid the bill. If things get really sticky, you can call me. Otherwise, let’s hang and have a beer sometime.”

Ruby blinked, but their new friend was gone with a puff of wind. Letting out a sigh, she ate the rest of her dinner silently, thinking, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam doing the same. After a moment, though, she pulled out her phone and started to send Sam a text, but then she thought better of it.

“Decided not to then.” Adam guessed. “That was going to be Sam, right?”

“Yeah, but if Gabriel wants Sam to know, he’ll show up,” Ruby told him, and then she ate the last few bites of her meal as Adam did the same.

After a refill of their coffees to go, the pair left, heading out for the drive back to Lebanon. Neither of them had a whole lot to say, both merely absorbing the things they just learned. Returning to the Bunker, however, they seemed to each feel some sort of exhaustion, and they spent the rest of their evening eating takeout and watching old movies cuddled together under a blanket before collapsing into Ruby’s bed for an exhausted sleep.

The next say was spent in preparation, though not at quite the determined pace Ruby felt like they should have been going at. Both she and Adam were tired, and quite a bit of information had been thrown their way. After a little moping, Ruby grabbed a Guinness and some dark chocolate and practically locked herself in her room.

With a mirror in front of her, one she’d taken from Rowena’s, she held her pendant and called out. “Um, Rowena? Queen of Hell? Got a few?”

“Aye?” came a distant response.

The mirror before her filled with black swirly clouds, and from it stepped a small version of the Queen herself which soon grew to size. This time Rowena wore a long red gown, the lower half flowing, with the bodice pulled into a halter with a deep, plunging neckline. Almost immediately, she came over to Ruby to bring the witch into quite the solid hug.

“Are you actually here?” Ruby asked, returning the hug.

“Your magic is stronger, and so the illusion is,” Rowena explained, and she came to sit next to Ruby on the bed. “I’m so proud of you. Got yourself a Winchester? Tied up all sorts of loose ends for my dear Samuel. Even helped me with the Zack problem. I was going to flay him and pin his head on my front door, but you’ve given me other ideas.”

Trying not to look, well, weirded out by that, Ruby just gave Rowena a weak smile. “An effective message, but Zack has some talents.”

“Aye, agreed, so he’ll be your own personal errand boy,” the Queen offered. “Well, both of ours. I’ve decided that if he’s so bored at his crossroads, he’ll go to work. You can use the pendant to summon him as long as I don’t have him on a bit errand.”

“Oh, my own pet demon,” Ruby said with a small smirk, but she was grateful. “Thank you. We could use some help, I’m sure.”

Rowena made a “tsk” and shook her head. “But you called me for something else.”

“Well, yeah. We met with Gabriel. He’s alive,” the witch started.

“Oh, aye, I know well that he is. A right good lover, that one. He’s been around, provided me with my own body as a vessel, bless him. I mean, it was in Hell already,” the ginger witch told the other woman. “Did he finally stop with his little chat room thing?”

Ruby laughed. “So you two are a thing, huh?”

Rowena shrugged. “Weeeeell... maybe? Have you seen the tush on that one?”

The brunette laughed again at that. “Well, okay, he’s got a nice ass. But yeah. He told me about how reality is trying to fix itself and that Adam and I are basically cleaning up Chuck’s dangling plotlines. I’m not mad about it, not for me or Adam, but it really pisses me off that Sam and Dean were pretty much Chuck’s personal Netflix binge.”

“A right good thing to be pissed off about,” Rowena agreed. “And the lot of us with them were so angry for them. We tried to do the right thing, even me. Even if my sacrifice would have been enough to send me to Heaven, I knew I belonged in Hell. Look how wonderfully it’s worked out!”

“I’m happy for you then,” Ruby said, “but I need to know if you know what sort of strings are attached to my life. Am I a puppet? Am I real? Do I die once all of reality is fixed?”

Rowena reached out to smooth down Ruby’s hair gently, maternally. “No, lass. You may have been sent here with a mission, but it was yours to accept or deny. Tell me, could you have said no?”

Ruby was silent for a long moment, staring fitfully at her own hands, and finally, she turned towards Rowena. “No. I couldn’t have. I’m not that person anymore.”

“And there you have it.” The Queen seemed most pleased with her friend. “You know, I should be bitter that my Fergus wasn’t returned to Hell while Gabriel gets to flit about, or your Adam has a power upgrade, but I think, maybe, he’s sleeping in The Empty and dreaming about something better. Not regrets or missed opportunities, but of the sweeter life he should have had. A mother’s wish.”

“A mother’s wish,” Ruby repeated. “Do you know if my... my Isabella is in Hell?”

“She’s not, but what I can tell you is that she’s not in Heaven either,” came the answer, causing the brunette to look up sharply at the Queen. “Before you ask, I don’t know, but after our first meeting, I looked, and then I sent a memo upstairs to ask. Neither your brother or daughter are in either realm, which means they’re either somewhere on Earth or were monsters sent to Purgatory. I’d rather think of them on Earth.”

“I—“ Ruby took a breath. “Same. I’d rather think the same.”

“What I can tell you is that the answers must be out there. Keep your eyes open. They’re both tied to you, and your heart will guide you.” Rowena rolled her eyes. “Okay, that sounds very Disney, but it’s true. You’re not alone.”

The image of Rowena flickered and faded away, returning to the mirror. Its surface returned to normal, and Ruby could feel its magic fade. Clearly that call was over.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there ruminating over what she was told, but a knock at the door broke her from her thoughts. She managed a “come in” towards the door, and Adam entered, bringing dinner in the form of some delightful-smelling soup.

“There’s that weird little place in town owned by that nice Greek couple,” her partner began. “Avgolemono was their soup of the day, so I got two quarts of it. Nice and warming for when things aren’t the brightest. How’d your chat go?”

“Answered some things and created new questions. You?” Ruby gratefully took her bowl of soup and took a spoonful of the eggy, lemony, chickeny goodness. “Mmmm, one of my favorites.”

“Well, Donna’s keen for us to come up,” Adam told her. “She said there’s a new pastor in town, trying to start a congregation. His name is Lucas Sorensen.”

“Lucas di Soreni.. And there was a Rusty Sorensen,” Ruby said. “He’s recycling his identities. This has to be the guy.”

“Well, I told Donna we’re driving up tomorrow. I mean, is that ok? Do you mind?” the hunter asked, tucking into his soup as well.

“Do I? Hell no. We’re going to get some answers,” Ruby stated firmly, this time grinning like a wolf on the hunt.


	35. Hey Bulldog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Child-like  
>  No one understands  
> Jack knife  
> In your sweaty hands  
> Some kind of innocence is measured out in years  
> You don't know what it's like to listen to your fears_
> 
> Hey Bulldog - The Beatles

The trip was going to roughly take ten hours to make, so Ruby and Adam left fairly early in the morning, only stopping a couple of times for gas and once to have lunch in Omaha, NE. They made it to Stillwater some time around 4 PM that early evening. Thankfully, it was still Donna’s office hours, and the cheerful sheriff was outside waiting for them thanks to a text Adam sent to tell her they were close.

“You must be Ruby and Adam, heirs to the Winchester legacy, huh?” she asked as a greeting. The blonde officer stood about 5’6”, in her mid-forties, appearing to have a muscular frame. Her hair looked like it hung just below her shoulders, but it was pulled back into a professional ponytail as her dress code demanded.

“And you must be Donna,” Ruby said, returning the handshake. She found it remarkable just how strong this woman’s grip was. “Sam told me all about you.”

“Ah, he told you how we met then, yeah?” the officer said with a roll of her eyes. “Not quite the same as I was then.” She seemed amused by something secret, but she didn’t elaborate. “And you’re Adam. Last I knew of you, y’had an archangel in your head.”

“Yeah, but I got better,” Adam said with a broad grin. He liked the lady.

Ruby did, too, finding she couldn’t help but smile around the cheerful, friendly woman. “How long was it since you last saw Sam?”

“Oh, just after his brother died,” Donna said, her smile turning sad. “Dean was a good guy. I had someone call Dean’s FBI phone, but Sam took the case. I didn’t know. Sam came up to tell me himself he was retiring. We had some drinks, I showed him my home gym, we talked about getting him set up with a job or something, but he found another path, I guess. Glad he and Elaine are doing well. Show me some pics later, when we got your investigation licked.”

“Are you off-duty? Is this a bad time?” Ruby asked.

“Nah, called in some favors, dontcha know,” Donna replied with a grin. “Wrapped up some work and now I’m free. We’ll come on to my place, get a hotdish in the oven. You drink pop or want beer?”

“We’re beer folks, but either works if you’re not a drinker,” Adam replied.

“Oh, nah, beer’s great, but I got both,” the sheriff told them. “So here’s my address. Navigate or give me a follow. See ya there!”

After returning to The Boss and opting to just follow Donna to her home, they made it. Ruby was amused that the plate on Donna’s truck said “D-Train”. She lived a bit out in the woods in a comfortable cabin not far from Brown’s Creek Nature Preserve. It had a shed barely visible behind the back fence, and what looked like a newer extension off to the side.

“Like it? I have another place up north, but this is my little heaven,” Donna told them when the other two were out. After waiting for the pair to grab their gear, she showed them into her homey cabin and to the guest room. “Sam said you two were a thing.”

“Yeah,” Ruby said, setting down her bag. Once Adam did the same, they followed Donna back out to the kitchen were she started taking out a bag of frozen tater tots, a can of green beans, some shredded cheddar cheese, and a can of cream of mushroom soup. On the counter, some ground beef was already thawing.

“You two eat venison? It’s my own mix. Venison and beef, so’s not to be too gamey. Figured tomorrow we can go to this great place I know. Kinda spendy, but pretty worth it,” Donna explained as she started her oven to heating and started preparing the casserole, no, hotdish in what looked like a 1970s burnt orange Pyrex casserole dish.

“Can we help at all?” Ruby offered.

“McGoldens are in the fridge, but I got some darker beer, too. I got plates out before work this morning, so just drink up, and this’ll be hot on the table in about thirty,” Donna replied.

After the dish was in the oven, Donna went to change out of her uniform, coming back in warm leggings, a tank top, and a large, loose sweatshirt. The muscle Ruby saw made her think this woman was into we weight training and could definitely hold her own in a fight.

“You look like you could take a vampire in a fist fight,” the witch observed approvingly.

“Oh yeah,” Donna replied, bringing the food to the table and serving her guests. “Well, I met the boys trying to lose a little weight. Problems with the husband, but you know, even after I lost it, I realized my body is this shape, you know? Good grief, why would I spend all this time trying to do things in a way that was just gonna hurt me? So I got some weights, found I liked it, and now weight training is my stress relief and keeps me strong. I love feeling strong like this. And I realized I was wastin’ all this time lookin’ for a man, when in the end, hokey as it sounds, I was looking for myself.”

“Some people never figure that part out,” Adam said. “I mean, it’s good when you find someone, but a person has to be able to live with themselves, no matter who or what they are.”

“Darn tootin’!” Donna agreed. “Looks like you learned that lesson well.”

“Sometimes the lesson is learned, but it needs a refresher,” Ruby added. “This is really good, by the way.”

“Can’t go wrong with tater tot hotdish,” the sheriff agreed heartily. “So let’s talk shop, huh? Hunting some fishy pastors?”

“Hopefully before he tries to break into my place,” the witch replied. “Captain Hank Moody, a hunter in Miami, OK, tried to send me the pictures he had of the guy. There’s no pictures of him online, but he said he had some from earlier identities that were found online. I messaged him before we left to see if he could send his files again; last email never made it right.”

“You had him CC it to me, right?” Adam asked, and Ruby nodded affirmation. “Good, so we’ll look at the file when we’re doing eating. Not polite to look at your phone at the table, right?”

“Oh, he’s a keeper, Ruby,” Donna laughed. “Knows his manners and is a cutie. Well, I can tell you what I know about our fella. So Lucas Sorensen applied for a permit to hold services ‘bout a week ago. I had a guy on him since Sam called. He’s been visiting pawn shops and and antique stores here, down to Hudson, even went into Sommerset, WI according to one of his helpers. Guy seems like he’s here lookin’ for something.”

“A locket,” Ruby told her. “Something stolen from him. It’s got to have something incredible valuable to it, or some kind of enchantment. I mean, there’s always sentimental value, but I couldn’t think of anything unless it’d belonged to a spouse or child. I haven’t heard of any objects like that floating around, but according to Moody, he’s been at this search for a damn long time, like decades.”

“Maybe longer, who knows,” Adam added, drinking his beer.

“Well, he hadn’t been doing anything wrong, and my deputy says he’s a right sweet fella. He’s got a bit of an accent to ‘im, something Mediterranean. D’you think he’s some kinda monster?” Donna wondered.

Adam shrugged. “We don’t know, but he apparently hasn’t aged any since those early pictures,” He checked his phone finally, seeing the file arrived. “Well, damn. The files are still corrupted. I guess we’ll just have to see him in person.”

“Well then, looks like we’re attending services tomorrow,” Ruby said. “Or at least, _I_ am.”

After dinner, she and Adam helped with the dishes and cleanup, leaving Donna to put away the leftovers. The three of them hung around talking for a couple more hours, and then they went off to turn in early. Donna would keep doing some digging on their behalf, Adam was going to check out the pawn shops the pastor had visited, and Ruby would be attending the services in hopes of talking to the pastor herself.

As she settled down in Adam’s arms to sleep, the echos of a baby’s laugh rang through Ruby’s consciousness, but she was too tired to wonder why.

The next morning, Ruby focused on making her appearance look a little softer, pulling her hair back loosely, and leaving her leather jacket in favor of some comfortable denim. That didn’t means she wasn’t armed; her knife was strapped under her jacket, and she was ready with a few hex bags.

The drive to the park didn’t take too long. Stillwater was a lovely town, and she was hoping to have some time to visit the river, despite this not being a pleasure trip. There was a great parking place. It wasn’t very close to the tent for the congregation, but it would be easy to drive out of. She made her way towards the others gathered.

“Welcome!” an attractive young woman said, waving everyone in. Ruby stopped to talk to her.

“Hey, I’m visiting from out of town, but I heard that there was a new pastor in town. I’m hoping to talk to him. Trying to find my path, you know?” The witch smiled sweetly; she looked believably hopeful.

“Oh, goodness, of course,” the woman said. “My name is Jolene; I’m the Pastor’s assistant. He’s going to teach me so I can lead the congregation for him when he moves to his next mission.”

“A pleasure, Jolene,” Ruby told her. “My name is Ruby.”

“Good to meetcha, Ruby,” Jolene said. “Have a seat off to the side there, and I’ll make sure you can see Pastor Lucas after the meeting. It’s gonna just be about fifteen minutes before he starts, ok?”

“Sure thing,” the witch replied, and she went to have a seat where the other woman indicated, making sure there was nothing odd or creepily enchanted about the seat or anything near her. Settling down, she looked to the a pretty woman who sat next to her.

“You here to check out the pastor?” the woman asked. She seemed to be giving Ruby a scrutinizing look.

“Yeah, interested in what he has to say,” Ruby asked. “You?”

“Oh, something angelic about him, so the rumor mill says,” came the reply. “I’m interested. I asked my wife along, but she didn’t want me to come here at all. Religion isn’t her thing.”

“I’m Ruby,” Ruby replied, shaking hands with the woman. She noticed the other woman’s hands were calloused in the way a marksman’s would be. Like a hunter. “You are?”

“Charlie,” the woman replied. “Just looking for something fresh, you know?”

“Oh, for sure,” Ruby said. “I’m not one for religion either, but I you know, things aren’t the same they were almost a decade ago. Maybe this guy will say something different.”

“That’d make him a unicorn, sister,” Charlie said with a roll of her eyes. She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re a hunter.”

“You are, too,” Ruby replied in th same whisper. “You know Sam Winchester?”

“Oh yeah, we go way back. Sucks about his brother,” the redhead replied. “Good guys, those two. He sent you this way?”

Ruby shook her head. “He’s retired, but I’ve helped him with loose ends. Anyway, this is my own case. I have a feeling about this pastor.”

“Same,” Charlie told her. “I think he’s an angel. I _hate_ angels. I mean, I know they’re not all bad, but I have old history with them, and this guy has weirdness wherever he goes.”

Ruby hazarded a guess. “Are you from the same place as Bobby Singer?”

Charlie gave her a wide-eyed look. “You know him?”

“Prior hunt in Daphne, AL,” the witch shrugged. She was about to say something else when the small band consisting of girl on bass guitar, one guy with small drum kit, and a woman on banjo played. “Okay, that’s an interesting ensemble.”

“Make a joyful noise and all that, huh?” Charlie commented. “They have the noise part. Actually, the girl on bass is pretty good.

“Maybe she’ll discover a good band,” Ruby replied. She remained quiet after that.

The woman she met at the door, Jolene, stood on a small platform, guiding those gathered in a meditation session, then in song and prayer. Even the hymns weren’t really such; they were more like rehashed tunes with something vaguely worshipful thrown in. Very Sister Act.

 _The hippies do Christianity, huh?_ Ruby thought through one of the “hymns” as Jolene started improvising with the tune.

After a good twenty minutes of this, Jolene finally stopped singing. “Everyone, please meet our friend, Pastor Lucas!”

A tall man with thick black wavy hair walked on stage. He had olive skin, dark eyes, and a face Ruby would know anywhere.

“Oh. Oh! _No_ , it can’t be him.” Ruby gasped, not noticing that Charlie turned to look at her sharply.

“What?” the redhead hunter whispered.

“It’s... _him_ ,” the witch managed. “My b-brother. Luzio.”


	36. Oh Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Oh, sister, when I come to knock on your door  
>  Don't turn away, you'll create sorrow  
> Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore  
> You may not see me tomorrow_
> 
> Oh Sister - Bob Dylan

“What? Your brother?” Charlie exclaimed in a whisper. When others made a “shhh” sound at her, she bit her lip and fell silent, but she kept looking between Ruby and the pastor the entire time.

Ruby, for her part, stared in disbelief the whole time, and then she tried to hide a bit behind the tall person in front of her. True, she wasn’t wearing the face she had the last time her brother would have seen her alive, but if he was an angel, he might be able to see her soul.

 _Can angels see souls instead of faces? Ugh, remind me to ask Gabriel_ , she mentally wondered. She touched the pendant that Rowena had given her, hoping that it wasn’t a demon wearing her brother’s face. She was relieved to find out it wasn’t, but there was something odd about him, an energy she couldn’t place. With an incantation muttered under her breath, her eyes glowed a soft violet, and she gasped again at what she saw.

“Not an angel,” she told Charlie in a very faint whisper. When the other woman replied “Then What?,” Ruby found she couldn’t reply, only shake her head.

They fell silent again as the service continued, and when the singing started again, Jolene came back by to fetch the two hunters, taking them out to a tour bus with a part converted into a dining space and office.

“So this could be a trap or we could both be recorded. If he’s not an angel, what is he?” Charlie asked when they were alone.

“I can’t be sure. I have to see him,” Ruby explained. “So weird though, how I keep running into people from Sam’s past even when I’ve just met another.”

“Oh, Donna? I was going to drop by after all of this and say hi,” the redhead explained. “But yeah, all kinds of weirdness going on. Feels like the ghosts being dug up, and they’re not even mine.” She sighed. “Stevie, my wife, doesn’t want me to hunt, but I saw some pictures online and, well, rabbit hole. That’s how I found this guy was changing his name and moving around.” She fell silent upon hearing the service letting out.

Soon enough, the man walked in, all smiles. “Thanks, Jolene,” he told the woman just outside of the door, and he closed it behind him. “Hello. I understand you want to learn more about my ministry? I’m Pastor Lucas Sorensen.”

“Your name is Luzio,” Ruby said without quite being able to stop herself.

“Just show all of your cards already, Ruby,” Charlie said with a roll of her eyes, and she turned to the man. “Just tell us what you are, ok?”

“Who’s showing cards now?” the witch countered.

“Wait, how do you know that name?” the shocked pastor insisted instead, his accent growing thicker. “I have not heard that in centuries, yet you speak it now.”

Ruby fixed him with a sorrowful look and quoted his last words to her. “ _Ti piangerò in ogni momento finché Dio non mi porterà al suo fianco._ ”

The gasp the pastor let out made Charlie jump. “Rubina! But how? What is this face you wear?”

“Wait, wearing a face? Are you a demon?” Charlie asked the witch, reaching for her gun.

“I was. I’m not anymore. I got better. It involves resurrection and The Empty and all kinds of stuff we don’t have time for,” Ruby said, exasperated. “Luzio, what are you? How are you alive? Something is off, but you have a soul. You seem alive. Are you a zombie?” It slowly dawned on her. She stopped short. She hoped her hunch was wrong.

“So I have to shoot him now?” Charlie exclaimed.

“No!” both told her. “I am not a zombie,” Luzio added.

The redhead sat back, and then she just pulled out her phone. “I’m calling Sam. Is there a place I can do that privately?”

Luzio indicated the area behind him. “Please. And Rubina, I can explain.” He waited until Charlie left, already starting to tell Sam about what was going on.

“I think you’d better,” Ruby said softly, seriously.

The taller man looked over his shoulder to make sure Charlie was still occupied, and then turned back to his sister. “I do not know these things you speak of. I only came to realize I was cursed centuries ago. I know you must recall what became of Isabella.”

“I was forced to sell her to that horrible man and his wife,” Ruby replied, feeling the old anger and pain. “And then she died. I went to find her and learned of her death. Luzio, I cried over her grave.”

“The man and his wife were evil,” Luzio said. “They have lived since the days of ancient Babylon, stealing children to use their souls to prolong their lives. They wanted Isabella to be their child truly, but then they decided to harvest her soul, too. I was too late, but I was able to kill them and save Isabella’s soul in a special locket. I remember collapsing, but I woke soon after. The locket was missing, so I have spent centuries tracking it.”

“Zack said you were looking for one. But why would you work with a demon?” Ruby asked.

“I did what I needed to,” the revenant said with a shrug.

“And the congregations?” the witch pressed.

“Is there harm in bringing joy and comfort to people?” Luzio countered. “It’s a good cover, and it offers something to the community.”

Ruby didn’t quite buy it. There was something off about her brother. She knew of revenants who turned the way simple ghosts do, by turning vengeful once they knew what they were. Instead, she focused on what he said earlier. “A locket. Her soul is in the locket?”

“And once I find it, I feel that it would be the key to finally being able to rest. Rubina, do you not want your daughter’s soul at rest, and mine, too?” Luzio pleaded.

“Oh, Luzio, of course, I do. But you should be at rest. Let me find the locket, _fratello mio_.” He thinks he’s still alive. I mentioned that he isn’t alive, and he acted like he didn’t even hear it, she thought to herself.

“And what of you? A demon, you said? So you sold your soul,” her brother stated sadly.

“And I am attempting to redeem myself,” she told him quickly. “I apparently played some role in defeating G — a great evil, and in return, due to an angel’s promise, I have that chance.”

“And does this angel walk with you?” Luzio asked.

“No, that angel, Castiel, serves at God’s side,” Ruby replied truthfully and in terms her brother would follow, though in her mind, it felt weird calling Jack “God”, given he was still so youthful in his nature.

Luzio was quiet for a long time, then he stood, opening his arms to his sister. Ruby leaned into the hug, and something tight inside of her seemed to release very suddenly, resulting in a choked sob. He gasped for air, and she knew her brother was feeling the centuries between them, crying with her.

The sound of Charlie clearing her throat from the side made both step away. Ruby wiped her eyes, looking at the other hunter.

“This is a beautiful scene and all, but we still have the big business of why disaster seems to follow this guy everywhere,” the redheaded Apocalypse-World refugee pointed out. “Things are great, then he leaves. Then things turn to shit.”

“I do not know. I only move when I learn of possible places the locket may be,” Luzio explained, looking distressed. As he became upset, the lights started to flicker, and the temperature in the RV began to drop.

“It’s okay, Luzio. We’ll get this figured out. Why don’t we help you with finding the locket so we can put poor Isabella to rest,” Ruby said, smiling even though she felt distressed herself.

“Hey, I know he’s your long lost apparently immortal brother, but this is...” Charlie cut herself off seeing the sharp look from Ruby. “All right, let’s work together. So what does this locket look like?”

“Oh, I can draw it for you,” Luzio offered, and as he cheered, things in the cabin of the RV returned to normal. He took out a mechanical pencil and his notebook and carefully began to draw it.

Ruby, for her part, sent Adam a text giving him the general idea and telling him to call Sam. She then sent a text to Hank Moody, asking if the images he found of the pastor had any oddities to them. By the time her messages were out, Luzio had finished his drawing.

“I’m going to take a picture,” Ruby said, though she discreetly took a picture of her brother when she held up her phone. Once he nodded, she leaned over the drawing and snapped a shot.

The locket he drew was beautiful, circular, with the figure of a child in the center surrounded by a wreath of wings. The face he drew in such detail that Ruby was certainly its memory was etched into her brother’s consciousness.

“It is her, is it not?” Luzio asked, almost entranced by the look of it.

“My Isabella,” Ruby agreed.

“So I just met you both today, but Ruby, Sam vouches for you. Donna does, too. Before I get any more involved in any of this, I want the backstory,” Charlie insisted.

“I, too, would like to know what became of you,” Luzio added. “You look so much like you did, but this is not your face, Rubina.”

Ruby let out a sigh. “Okay, so I was seduced by a guy named Fio, a local cleric. Got knocked up. Once Isabella was weaned, my asshole of a father sold her to some rich guy who, according to Luzio here, was using souls for magic to keep himself and his lady alive. I didn’t know any of that. I would have...” She let out a sigh as she trailed off

“You’d have gone after her,” Charlie said. “Let me guess. You were poor and thought she’d grow up better in a rich household.”

“I was being married off to a pig farmer.” Ruby almost spat the words out. “So I...” She took a breath. “I killed my father. He killed our mother, beat me, and worse. And Luzio helped me get away.”

“So after this, you sold your soul, got magic, became a demon eventually?” the other hunter prompted.

“Yes, and I seduced Sam as a demon and guided him into starting the Apocalypse. Then he held me so Dean could kill me.” The look on Ruby’s face kept either person from saying anything, so full of self-hatred over it she was. “After a long time in The Empty, Castiel appeared there, mostly dead, and he had me tell him where an item called the Occultum was in exchange for a promise that he’d try to get me out of The Empty.”

“And he kept his promise, because Cas is that kind of guy,” Charlie decided.

“Right, with help from the new God,” Ruby concluded. “And Luzio, that is an even longer story, and it’s not mine to tell.”

“New... God?” Again the lights flickered at Luzio’s confusion. “I will — Yes, I won’t press. So then, I intended to look at thrift stores in town, antique galleries, the like.”

“My partner is in the stores, too, looking for a few things on my behalf. I’ll have him look for the locket, too,” Ruby said, texting Adam the picture. “If he finds it, he’ll let me know so that we can get it to you and free Isabella.” She let out a sad smile. “Oh, Luzio. I wish we’d met again under better circumstances.”

“What could be better than now, _mia cara sorella?_ ” her brother asked. “We are together to free Isabella.”

“We are,” Ruby agreed, but she secretly tapped out Morse Code on Charlie’s leg: _We need to go._

The ginger hunter got the message. “Well, look, this is all a bit weird for me, but I’ll check with my people, too. Mind if I borrow your sis for a bit?”

“I... but we just were reunited!” the man protested. “But ah, you are going to look for the locket, too. Very well, I will see you again, soon.” With that, Luzio stood, as did the other two women, and he gave Ruby a gentle but firm hug. “Be well.”

“You, too,” Ruby said, and she gave him a kiss on his cheek. With that, she turned to leave with Charlie.

It wasn’t until the two women were almost to Ruby’s car that they talked.

“Okay, so can you tell me what the hell is going on now?” Charlie asked urgently.

“Wait,” Ruby said. “Did you drive here?”

“Took Lyft here,” was the answer.

“Get in,” the witch ordered, and Charlie did so. Once they were on the road, Ruby finally told her.

“I never knew what became of my brother,” she said as she drove, tears coming even as her expression hardened. “I can tell you this being is my brother, but there’s something wrong, and I think I know what it is.”

“Yeah?” Charlie prompted.

Ruby let out a pained sigh. “I think Luzio is a revenant.”


	37. Dancin’ in the Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Tomorrow soon turns into yesterday.  
>  Everything we see just fades away.  
> There's sky and sand where mountains used to be.  
> Time drops by a second to eternity._
> 
> _It doesn't matter if we turn to dust;  
>  Turn and turn and turn we must!  
> I guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!  
> Dancin' in the ruins!  
> Guess I'll see you dancin' in the ruins tonight!_
> 
> Dancin’ in the Ruins - Blue Öyster Cult

It was some time later that Ruby, Charlie, Adam, and Donna all gathered at the Hanscum residence. Charlie and Donna especially had a warm reunion with hugs and asking about their mutual friends and general goings-on in each others’ lives. Ruby felt a little like an outsider; even Adam knew who they were by association. The group eventually settled around Donna’s kitchen table with dinner and beers, going through what happened that day.

“Your brother, though,” Donna said with a shake of her blonde hair around her. “That’s gotta be tough, girlie.”

“Yeah,” Ruby said, a little despondent. She pushed her spoon around in her bowl of chili. “The only kind of ghost I know of that has a corporeal form, isn’t really a zombie, and doesn’t know its dead would be a revenant. I could touch him. I heard his heart beating. It’s Luzio, or at least a fair approximation. But that fixation of his...”

“And what of the pics you forwarded to Moody,” Adam asked.

“He never got them, same as us not getting his. And get this, he got back to me about the social media pictures. They had to be doctored to get them to post,” the witch told them. “And he’s not the ones who made the profiles to begin with.”

“Ghosts and photography are pretty unfriendly with each other, and tech gets a little weird with ghosts anyway,” Charlie offered. “So then that’s why you never got those pictures. Now how do you deal with a revenant anyway?”

“I’ve never seen one or ever dealt with one,” Donna said with a shrug.

“We could ask Sam,” Adam suggested. “He and Dean went up against a number of things none of us have ever seen. It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“Except Sam’s retired, or didja forget?” Donna told Adam. “Let the guy have some peace.”

“I love Sam, and I want him to rest, but this is my brother we’re dealing with now. I know I would do this for him it Dean suddenly came back as a revenant,” Ruby said. “And he told us before, if he can help short of coming out with a sawed off, he would.”

“And sad to admit, but I think you’re right,” the blonde woman agreed. “I don’t know. He’s retired and living a happy life with Eileen and the kiddo.”

“Sam’s happy with that, but you know he’s never going to stop grieving,” Adam said. “I wonder if him helping us with these things isn’t some way for him to feel close to Dean.”

Ruby felt herself choking up some, thinking of Sam living without his brother, the one constant he’d always had since infancy. She knew they had some severe codependency when they were younger, but they both grew and had a real fraternal partnership, not just a constant stream of basing their decisions on what the other would want or out of guilt.

But isn’t that what you’re doing, Sammy? Isn’t this the life Dean wanted for you? she thought to herself. Then she realized that this was the life Dean wanted for himself as well. Maybe Sam was doing it for the both of them. Shaking that thought off, she sent off a text to the Winchester in question.

[Hey, Sammy. Ever deal with a revenant?] she asked.

The reply was pretty fast. [A few years before I met you, yeah. A lady named Molly McNamara died in a car crash, and the guy she ran into kept killing her year after year. We helped her work through the things that kept her tied to the mortal plane so she could move on. Why?]

[I found the Pastor. It’s my brother, Luzio. This pendant Rowena gave me shows me demonic and otherworldly natures for the most part, and my brother isn’t alive, but when I held him, talked to him, he felt real.] She looked at the others. “Sorry, texting Sam.”

“Tell him hi,” Charlie told her.

[Charlie was there, by the way, and she says hi. We’re all at Donna’s.] Ruby added.

[Say hi to all of them for me!] Sam texted back, and Ruby relayed the message. [But if your brother is a revenant, there’s a few things to know. One is that you have to make him face his business in a way that is natural to him. If it’s unfinished business, tend to it. If something is tying him there, destroy it or release it. Silver hurts them. They can’t cross salt lines. Thing is, most revenants don’t have a corpse to salt and burn, so your options are limited.]

“Shit,” the brunette said aloud, and she told them what Sam told her. [He’s looking for a locket. Uploading the picture he drew.] With that, she sent the image. [He says my daughter’s soul is in the locket. I can’t risk anything happening if it’s true.]

There was a moment of silence from the other line, and Ruby went back to eating, thinking maybe the middle Winchester was doing some digging. After a good fifteen minutes, there was a response.

[So when I inherited Rowena’s place, I did an inventory before I locked it up. That locket is in a curse box in her cabinet, and her notes said whoever had it dies by a revenant’s hand.] There was another pause, and he sent one more note. [You DID read the inventory list, right?]

[Sammy, if there was one, I didn’t see it.] She looked upon at the others. “So now I know why Rowena’s Apartment is on the list. That locket he’s looking for is there. Sam said he saw it in a Curse Box.”

“So great, you just get your bro to follow you to Boulder, do something with that locket, and then everyone gets to go to Heaven, right?” Charlie asked.

“How do you know Rowena’s place is in Boulder?” Adam asked the ginger hunter.

Charlie reached up to rub the back of her neck. “Rowena and I...” She cleared her throat. “We had a little thing. A very brief thing. It involved a road trip.” She looked around at the others helplessly.“Come on Rowena was totally a MILF!”

[Charlie said Rowena was a MILF.] Ruby sent Sam.

[File that under “Shit I Didn’t Need to Know”, Ruby.] She could almost see the patented Sam Winchester Bitchface on the other side and smiled to herself.

[Fine. But this means I’ll need to get the locket from my apartment. I’d rather he not come there. I’m going to ask a favor of someone. Thanks again, Sam. Sorry to keep dragging you into this.] Ruby looked up apologetically at the others, but Donna just waved her on.

[I told you. Any time you need help like this, I’m here. What else is family for? Good night, Ruby, and good luck.] Sam followed it up by a tired-looking selfie of him giving her a thumbs-up.

[Good night. <3] Ruby put her phone away. “Sorry about that. But Sam really was the right person to talk to. I’m going to make a call after dinner and get the locket. Of course, I don’t really have a plan on what to do once I have the locket in hand.”

“Sometimes the best plans happen on the fly, though. Seems to me you need to get this locket to your brother so he can rest. Seems things just fell into place, ya know?” Donna observed. “And a good thing, too. Maybe this is your way to put your own past to rest.”

After dinner, Ruby thought about that, heading back to the guest room she shared with Adam. Was this her moment to, as Donna suggested, put her past to rest? She didn’t really think so, given that those memories would always be a part of her. Then ago, putting things to rest doesn’t mean she was forgetting it, separating herself from it. It only meant that she’d no longer be confronting it at every turn.

With that firmly in mind, she sent out a text and whispered a little prayer, and the next thing she knew, a strong warm arm was over her shoulder.

“Hey, Rubes,” Gabriel said. “Need help from the universe’s cutest angel?” He waggled his brows at her.

“Dork angel, more like,” the witch teased.

“Nah, that’s Castiel. What can I do ya for?” he asked with that smug grin he favored.

“I need a trip to my place, Rowena’s apartment, to get something that was conveniently in her possession. If there’s a curse on it, well...” Ruby sighed heavily.

“A little protection wouldn’t hurt. Sure, I’ll take the fetch quest with you. Gonna leave a note?” Gabriel wondered.

Ruby sent Adam a quick text, even though he was in the next room. “Done. Thanks for this.” A thought gave her pause. “You didn’t know about this, did you?”

The archangel shook his head and shrugged. “Not a lick, though I mean, I do have a feeling this was something my old man set into motion for you as some sort of weird insurance policy. Seems like his style. So hold on, and we’ll fly.” With that, he offered his hand to the witch, and once she took it, they were gone in a flutter of angelic wings.

They arrived just outside of the front door, and Ruby took out her key to unlock the place, stepping inside. “Here you go, angel cake, you are formally invited in.”

Gabriel strutted inside, but he looked past Ruby as she shut the door. “Hey, Red.”

“Gabriel,” Rowena’s voice sounded from the portrait, and she emerged. “I sensed you both on the way here. Looking for something?”

“A locket,” Ruby said, and she pulled up the picture on her phone. “Sam said he came across it in a curse box when he did inventory here.”

“Oh aye, Samuel is organized that way. It’s charming, really. But yes. Why do you need it?” the queen asked.

“My brother is looking for it. I’m afraid he’s a revenant, and that finding it will release him. He said my daughter’s soul is in it. I can’t risk leaving this be and just trying to force Luzio to rest,” Ruby explained.

“Ah, that. Yes, well, let’s go get it then. It’s in my — your — work room,” Rowena said. “And you, handsome, I expect to have a visit from you soon.”

“Make you feel fleshy for a bit, my queen?” Gabriel said, waggling his eyebrows.

“You two,” Ruby asked, looking from one to another as she moved her pointed index finger back and forth between them, “need to get a room after this.”

“Oh, we have a dungeon,” Rowena laughed mirthfully. “So yes, let’s get to it.”

The brunette witch moved forward to open the hidden bookshelf door to the workroom, stepping in.

“It’s behind that panel there to the right side, dear,” the queen advised, and so Ruby found the catch to the panel to slide it open. There were a few curse boxes in there, but there was one in particular that Rowena indicated. This small box was the one Ruby took, taking care to close the panel again once it was retrieved.

“So this is it,” the brunette said, taking the box back into the main room. “So, any idea what kind of curse is on this thing?”

“Not in the foggiest, but you have Hell and an Archangel covering you, dear, so take that as you will,” Rowena said.

“I think there’s plenty we can do to help out if it’s major, Rubes,” Gabriel echoed. “If that’s your kid’s soul, I’ll make sure she gets where she needs to go.”

“After I take it to Luzio,” Ruby replied, and she opened the box, pulling the locket out. She braced herself, expecting a death spell or at least magical hives, but nothing happened. What she felt was something warm and beautiful as the locket seemed to glow in her hands.

“Oh, Isabella,” Ruby said, tears in her eyes, and following the emotion and lure of the locket, she brought it to her lips with a gentle maternal kiss. A silver-white glow spread from the point of contact, enveloping the former demon with its light.

_“Mama, is that you?” The little girl stood before Ruby, dressed in the finery of the nobly born. Her dress was fine linen of white with a neckline embroidered in silver and deep indigo. “So many people have tried, but none were Mama.”_

_Ruby found herself in her original body, dressed similarly to her child, but in reverse, wearing a dress of dark blue embroidered in white and silver. “My little one, it’s me. They took you from me, but I’ve found you again.”_

_“Mama!” The girl of four ran to the open arms of her mother, and the two held each other for a long time, Ruby, no, Rubina weeping into her child’s long dark hair._

_“Why do you cry?” Isabella asked._

_“Because soon you will will leave me again. But this time, it will be a nice place where people I know will be waiting for you. I know they’ll watch you until I can come to you,” Rubina replied, stroking the girl’s hair. She pulled back to look over the child, committing every detail to memory._

_“Do I have to practice piano?” the child asked with a face of worry. “I do not like the teacher.”_

_“Only if you want, my love. I am going to have my friend take you to a safe place where you will never be unhappy. Your grandmother will be there, and people who may not know who I am now, but I trust them to be good. Do you understand?” Rubina asked._

_“Yes, mama. I will wait for you there,” Isabella said, and she leaned into her mother’s embrace once more._

_“Soon your Uncle Luzio will join you, too,” Rubina added, but she felt her daughter tense in her arms._

_“Please, no, Mama. He is not kind,” the little girl said. “He hurt me.”_

_Rubina held her daughter closer, confused. She couldn’t force out the question of how it happened, but she tried. Before the words could come, she felt her daughter start to fade. “Oh, Isabella. I’ll find out. I love you.”_

_“I love you, Mama.”_

When Ruby opened her eyes, the glowing ball of light that represented Isabella was there, floating before her. It rose to where Gabriel had his hand extended. With a burst of brilliance, it flew skyward and vanished.

“Got Cas looking for your mom,” Gabriel said. “And, well, she’s got a whole clan of chosen family to keep an eye on her up there.”

“But now you’re left with an empty locket and a revenant brother,” Rowena pointed out.

“Well, we go old school on this,” Ruby said. “We wing it.”


	38. Pity the Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Why do we pity the dead?  
>  Are you churned by emotion from voices in your head?  
> (are you scared of the logic that swirls within your head)  
> Look at all the living and you'll ask yourself why  
> Oh why do we  
> Pity the dead?_
> 
> Pity the Dead - Bad Religion

After making their goodbyes to Rowena, Gabriel brought Ruby back to the Hanscum residence, nearly making her drop the plate of “paleo brownies” she brought into the living room. 

“Oh, for cripes sake! Don’t go teleporting into a girl’s living room without texting first!” Donna exclaimed.

“Holy shit! Gabriel! But you died!” Charlie stated, and then she reached for her gun.

“I’m the same one, and yes, I died, and obviously I got better,” Gabriel said flatly. “Come on, red, take a Xanax and let Ruby tell everyone what just went down.”

“For Pete’s Sake,” Donna grumbled, and she set down the brownies while Ruby went to settle down on the loveseat with Adam. 

“So I have the locket,” the brunette began, holding it out. “And it’s empty now. I released Isabella rather than keep her trapped inside. She knew me. She...” She took a breath. “Isabella loved me. Wasn’t angry. And that...”

Adam rubbed his lady’s back as she trailed off, willing her a little fortitude, so he thought, through the gesture. “So she’s free. And if we tell your brother, he’ll be free, too, so goes the theory.”

“That’s the problem,” Ruby said, her voice going hoarse. “Isabella said that Luzio was ‘not kind’. She said he hurt her. I don’t understand it. Luzio was always my protector. Why would he hurt Isabella?”

“How old were you when you left home?” Charlie asked. “After you axed your old man?”

“Sixteen,” Ruby replied. “And Luzio helped me escape. I want to trust my brother, but he was the one who trapped her in the locket. Do you think he hurt her to do it? Or did he take the locket from those who actually trapped her.”

“And now you have to confront your brother with an empty locket and a crap-ton of questions. Man, it sucks to be you right now,” Charlie said. 

Ruby just grabbed a brownie and started eating it out of pure frustration. “Yum, Donna.”

“Thanks, sweetie. But you know, maybe you and Adam should turn in, or maybe look at some stuff from your past and see if you can’t see stuff as an adult instead of as the kid you were, ya know?” Donna suggested. “Your vision’s a lot different when you’re sixteen versus when you’re... however old you are now.”

“Old,” Ruby said with a wry grin. “But that’s a good idea. Maybe I do have some holes in my memory that were burned away on the Rack in Hell. I didn’t even remember as much as I do until Jack brought me back.” She stood up reaching a hand out to Adam. “Shall we?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Adam said, setting down his mug and reaching to take Ruby’s extended hand. “Good night, everyone.”

“And Gabriel, thank you,” Ruby told him.

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Gabriel said, and he vanished without another word. 

“Friggin’ angels, I swear,” Charlie muttered.

The two wandered out towards the shared bedroom, taking time to each grab a quash shower to wash off the long day both of them had. Ruby had time to sit on the bed, putting her hair in one long damp braid while she waited on Adam. 

“Holes in my memory, seeing things differently,” she muttered aloud. Ruby considered it for a moment. Her memories weren’t as complete as she thought they were. She could remember very specific scenes from her life. There were the ones she kept dreaming about: losing her mother, killing her father, leaving her family home, selling her soul. She remembered the first smiles of her baby, and the breaking of her heart when the child was torn from her arms after weaning. 

_“Oh Rubina, you know that we will never be free as long as he lives, “ Luzio mentioned as he brought in the haunch of meat. They’d butchered a stolen lamb, and he’d taken over breaking down the meat to be put into a stew. “If only I were braver, I would free us.”_

“Ruby?” Adam called, bringing the witch back from her memories.

“Adam. I was...” she trailed off, and he came around to sit on the bed next to her, giving her back a gentle rub. “I was remembering something.” 

“Talk me through it?” Adam offered. 

“It was the night I killed my father,” Ruby said, turning to lean on Adam’s shoulder. “Luzio stole a lamb so that we could eat. I remember him saying that our father had us trapped where we were, that we wouldn’t be free unless our father was dead. He said he wasn’t brave enough to free us.” She closed her eyes. “And then he left the room. I heard him arguing with our father. I couldn’t make out the words, but I heard my name, and then...” she let out a sigh. “Papa came into the kitchen, screaming obscenities about me being a witch, about planting ideas in Luzio’s head. I took the knife my brother was using on the lamb and I slashed Papa across the chest. I kept slashing, and stabbing, and didn’t stop until he stopped moving.”

Adam winced and pulled Ruby a bit closer, holding her a little tighter. “I’m sorry you were pushed to that point, but something about it doesn’t seem right. It’s almost as if Luzio was setting you up for the act.”

“Setting me up,” she repeated. “I started working in the church when I was fourteen at Luzio’s suggestion. He said the cleric who was assisting the priest needed a girl to help clean the place, that they’d pay. We needed the money, so he suggested that I do it. Fiovarante was his close friend.”

“That’s the guy who you had the fling with, right?” Adam asked. When Ruby nodded, he continued. “Your brother hooked you up with him, and he guy got you pregnant. What happened after that?”

“He threatened to tell everyone I was a witch if I didn’t leave and never come back,” she replied, her shoulders going stiff. “He went with Papa when Mama was...”

“Oh, shit, Ruby,” Adam whispered into her hair. 

“We have to go to him now,” Ruby said, pulling herself free. She went right away to start getting dressed, Stopping to put the locket around her neck. “Stupid. So stupid. How come I never saw it?”

“You were young, in the moment, and you trusted your brother,” the other hunter offered, going to dress as well. “But now?”

“There was so much more, so many other things I never realized he pushed me towards. He told me I should give up Isabella for her sake. I was planning on running away with her,” Ruby said. “But no, I thought he was right, that it was best if I let Papa sell her.” 

“I don’t get why he would do that unless he stood to gain something by you birthing a child,” Adam said, taking his angel blade and gun. “Whatever happened to that Fiovarante?”

“When I went to look for him, after I’d sold my soul, he was gone. I don’t know where he went; I couldn’t find him,” Ruby answered, almost frantic with the realization. “He groomed me for that! As a child, Adam, he kept telling me there was a purpose for me. Mama said once she wasn’t sure what devil spoke in Luzio’s ear. I thought it was hyperbole.” She stopped to lace up her boots. “The spell to summon the Crossroads Demon was in my bag, among the few things I took with me.”

“He planted it?” Adam frowned sharply. “Ruby...”

“Save it,” Ruby snapped, and then she forced herself to relax, giving him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, but I can feel angry and sad and betrayed later. He needs to be stopped now.” She turned to head out to the main room quietly, nothing that the others seem to have already gone to bed. Scribbling a note for Donna, she made sure Adam followed her out to the Mustang.

With the roads mostly empty, the drive out to the campgrounds where the church tent, a couple of campers, and Luzio’s RV were. Ruby parked The Boss just a bit away from the parking lot so she and Adam could take an approach from the side. 

“Level head, babe, right?” Adam whispered to her, and he stopped to give his lady a kiss on her forehead. “I’ve got your back.”

“I know you do, Adam,” she replied softly, giving him a proper kiss. “And thank you.” With that, she set off with him right behind her. 

As they approached the RV, the two could hear sounds of a struggle. Just around the front of the RV, a woman’s hand extended out, palm up on the dirt, and moving around they could see it was connected to the prone, bloodied corpse of Jolene.

“So why don’t you come clean,” she could hear Charlie’s voice calling out. “Why you really want that thing, what you really are?”

“And lose the support of my trusting sister?” Luzio replied. “Regretfully, she will be mourning the loss of a new friend. How did you manage to figure it out?” 

“A little something that was in the back of your trailer,” Charlie replied, and by that point, she noticed Ruby and Adam well behind the taller man. The redhead gave no indication to Luzio that she did, but Ruby saw the twitch of a finger that gave it away. “Maybe you didn’t hide your little book quickly enough. I know what you are. I’d rather your sister not have to deal with you.”

“Sister? She should have stayed dead,” the larger man spat. 

“How long have you been whatever you are, Luzio? Come on, wanna tell me before we tussle?” Charlie demanded.

Ruby reached for Adam’s hand, unable to move. She knew her brother wasn’t a zombie; he felt too real. Maybe he wasn’t a revenant after all.

“The spell in that book was one taught to me by my lover, Fiovarante. He made me as he was, a being resurrected with power and strength. Do you really think that a childless pair of nobles would have spared only one if they were sacrificing children? Isabella was to have been the last piece, a child of my blood. Fio’s soul had to do when the locket was taken from me.” 

“And just how was it taken from you, brother dear?” Ruby demanded from behind him. “How long have you been this thing?”

Luzio’s expression changed the moment he saw Ruby, though the lights flickered on the lampposts illuminating the area. “Sister! I did not mean for you to hear the story I made up.”

“Shut it,” Ruby snapped. “I remember everything. How you told Papa I was a witch before that. The Crossroads Demon summoning spell in my bag. The lie about Mama. Sending me to Fiovarante. HOW. LONG?!”

The cold expression returned, though a low, wicked smile crossed the man’s face. “You were nine, a woman too early. I could barely do the hard work needed to help Papa. I spoke to Fio, who told me the magic that could make stronger, faster, better.” His eyes trailed to where the locket lay at Ruby’s chest. “And you have brought Isabella.”

“What do you need her for?” Ruby demanded. 

“A soul from a child born of my blood will make me immortal. I won’t have to feed on the souls of monsters and demons to keep me alive and powered.” He waved over at Jolene on the ground. “Zack had too much use for me to take him, but my hand was forced with your presence here.” 

“What kind of magic is that? What are you?” Ruby demanded.

“An ancient rite to become one who feasts on the souls of humans for eternal life and power. I’ll be taking both you and Isabella,” Luzio told her. 

Charlie took that opportunity to shoot at Luzio, but he merely flicked a hand behind him to send her flying into one of the lampposts, rendering her unconscious. 

“Now, Rubina, dear sister. Give me the locket.” Luzio extended a hand, but it wasn’t for the locket, but towards Adam, who suddenly started clenching his throat as if being choked. 

Ruby dropped to her lover’s side, mumbling to try to break the magical hold, but finding she was unable to. Adam, however, maintained control enough to slip something into her jacket, and then he flared his angelic powers to make a small shield. 

“Fine, you can have it,” the witch said, turning around. She took the fine silver locket off, holding it out by the chain as she approached. “Stop your attack.”

“Bring it to me first,” Luzio demanded, and he grinned wider when Ruby approached him. She kept the locket hanging by its chain in front of her, letting it swing a bit as she walked. When she was close enough, Luzio snatched it from her hands.

“Stop the attack!” Ruby demanded. 

“Very well,” her brother responded, and he did so. “Oh, I have waited for this.” He opened the locket, but his eyes flashed with anger and bitter disappointment. “She’s gone!”

“Of course, she is, and you will never see her where you’re going.” With that, she pulled the Angel Blade that Adam snuck into her coat, and she plunged it into Luzio’s chest with enough force to send the taller man stumbling back. As he fell, he grabbed at Ruby’s face, grabbing her neck instead, and snapping it. As she fell to the ground, her vision turned dark before a blinding white light filled her consciousness, and her ears could pick up the fading voice of Adam calling her name.


	39. Dust in the Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Now don't hang on  
>  Nothin' last forever but the earth and sky  
> It slips away  
> And all your money won't another minute buy_
> 
> _Dust in the wind  
>  All we are is dust in the wind_
> 
> Kansas - Dust in the Wind

_When Ruby opened her eyes, she expected to see someone standing over her, like Adam’s worried face or maybe her brother’s corspse, knowing she’d landed a killing blow. Instead, she saw a lake, one she recognized as being near the Bunker. She and Adam had been for a walk there once, and Sam once told her that he liked to jog there when he lived with Dean in Lebanon. The water itself was placid, still, and peaceful. Birds sang in sweet cheerful chirps, and the air had the faint fading petrichor of a recent rain. She was sitting on a wooden bench, and she wasn’t alone._

_“I expect you have questions,” a familiar gruff voice said._

_“Castiel,” Ruby said softly, turning to look at the angel next to her. “You look well.”_

_He looked like she remembered him in the Empty, the somewhat aged appearance of someone who’d been through a personal hell and come out of it on the other side better for his experiences. Castiel was still dressed the same, though his suit seemed to be a better fit than it was when Ruby first knew him. There was peace in his eyes, though not without that ever-present appearance of concern._

_“I feel better than I have in an eternity,” the angel replied truthfully with a sheepish smile. “I didn’t expect to be able to enjoy any of this. Jack’s rescue of me led to your rescue.”_

_“Well, thanks to both of you,” Ruby told him. “But this perfect pretty lake, you being here, and me seeing my weird undead brother’s hands at my neck makes me think that somehow I’m in Heaven.”_

_“You are,” Castiel told her. “Though you’re not really dead, not yet. Adam is fighting to heal you, but you’ve had quote the emotional shock. Besides, time flows differently here. As a place colored by the memories and experiences of human souls, it flows as a place of unified consciousness. Heaven itself is an interesting duality of human and celestial. Jack worked very hard to make this work.” A proud, fond, smile lightened his expression._

_“You raised him, yes?” Ruby guessed. “You look like a proud parent.”_

_“Something I never thought I could be,” the angel admitted. “But this isn’t exactly about my experience as a surrogate father. Your daughter has been received, but her soul needs healing. Once that’s done, she’ll be given a second chance at having a life.”_

_“You mean reincarnation,” the witch guessed._

_“And I’m asking your permission,” Castiel said. “Usually it’s reserved for very small children, orphans, really if they’re under a certain age. There are children here, and Isabella could stay, but you’ve earned the right to decide.”_

_Ruby looked out over the water. “If Isabella wants to live again, then I want her to have a chance to. I want her to have a better life than the one I brought her into.”_

_“Not surprised you’d say that,” Cas told her. “You’ve changed. I like this person you’ve become. How’s Sam?”_

_“He’s doing well, married, has a little baby boy named Dean, but you know that,” the witch teased._

_“I keep an eye on him. Our interference is very limited, but Sam is family,” he said sincerely. “He’s a brother to me in the ways that count, even if we haven’t always been close. And besides, I believe Dean would want me to.”_

_“Dean is here? I should have known he wasn’t bound for Hell. Where is he?” Ruby inquired._

_Castiel let out a fond laugh. “Driving. He’s been driving that car of his since he arrived. Bobby was here to greet him. To him, he’s only been here an hour or so, while longer has passed on Earth. Time here moves with the speed of consciousness for the human souls. It’s not easy to explain.”_

_“So why weren’t you there to greet him?” Ruby asked, taking note of the softness in the angel’s expression as he spoke of the elder Winchester brother._

_“I have my reasons. Perhaps wanting to avoid making Dean’s first moments here awkward. You know, in all of my time around humanity, I never knew what love actually was until I met him.” Castiel turned and met her eyes, locking and holding her attention. “Many humans use that word when they feel an attachment, but they don’t always know what it means. As a concept, it is multi-faceted, quite like the ancient Greeks would have described. The ancient texts, however, are purely academic, the talk of scholars. Those who truly love know the emotion is far more complex and transformative.”_

_“Were_ you _transformed by love, Cas?” Ruby prompted, hoping to tease, but it came out far more serious than she’d intended._

_“Oh, yes,” Castiel answered softly. “He made me better. I changed because of him. He saw the best in me, even when I was at my worst, and that taught me to see the best in him, in Sam, in Jack — in everyone. It was at the end, with Death herself coming for us, however, that I felt I could tell him. Even if I’d told him in a moment of peace, it wouldn’t matter. What mattered was letting him know how very much he was loved.”_

_“Are you afraid now, that he doesn’t feel the same?” Ruby wondered._

_“No” he replied. “I do know that I am loved, too, though I’ll admit that I’m not sure to which degree. If you’re asking about physical intimacy, that’s not a condition of my affection.” The angel gave the former demon a serene smile. “Whatever it is, it’s enough for me.”_

_“George Sand said it, I believe,” Ruby said. “‘There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.’”_

_“Love, romance, and physical intimacy are_ not _mutually exclusive,” Castiel said, “or else I’m sure the aromantics of the world would take exception. Love is simply love.” He shrugged. “But regardless, I’m not here to talk about my impending conversation with Dean or the philosophies behind human romanticism. Sam will be here soon. As much as I’d like to talk to Dean, as much as I_ want _to see him_ , _I feel strongly that he and his brother must have their reunion first before I butt in. And no, not soon for Sam, but soon for Dean.”_

_Ruby just shook her head. “I don’t think I want this temporal and spiritual weirdness to make sense yet,” she said. “But thank you for helping my Isabella. Let her be a child for a little before she’s reborn, please.”_

_“She’ll know peace and joy before she leaves,” Castiel promised. “You know your work isn’t done, but this isn’t your last visit here.” He stood up, offering Ruby his hand, which she took and stood. “Heaven isn’t that far away.” He squeezed her hand and released it. “You are loved, too. Love yourself.”_

_Before those words could register with her, Ruby suddenly felt the ground give beneath her, and she fell into darkness._

“Ruby, please,” a desperate voice called. “I love you. Come back to me.”

“A-Adam,” Ruby managed, opening her eyes to see the face of the man she loved. “What kind of love confession is this?”

“An honest one,” Adam said, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “He broke your neck, but you killed him.” He didn’t say anything else, but instead, he buried his face in her shoulder, holding the witch close to him as if she’d fly away if he didn’t.

Ruby returned the hug as tightly as she could, but her eyes were fixed past Adam a the corpse being inspected by Charlie. The redhead was poking at the wound made by the Angel Blade still emerging from the corpse.

“I need to see Luzio’s body,” Ruby told Adam, forcing herself to release him. “Please, Adam.”

“R-right,” Adam said, and he finally moved back, standing and offering his hand to the brunette he’d just healed.

Ruby knelt on the opposite side of her brother, looking over his face. “All of the pain in my life, and Luzio was the last person I expected.”

“Ain’t that a bitch,” Charlie commented. “I wonder why? What was promised to him?”

“I know of soul-eaters,” Ruby said.“I think he was trying to become one, or something like it. I need to go through his things and see if I can find what he was using.” After a moment, she withdrew the angel blade from the body.

The moment the blade was out, the form of Luzio began decaying rapidly, turning to black dust within thirty seconds. What remained was a shattered stone the size of a standard deck of cards. Ancient runes could be read on it, though it was clear the item had been shattered by the impact of the celestial metal weapon. Ruby reached into her coat and pulled out a small ziplock bag, one of a few she carried with her on hunts, and scooped the fragments into it. With a burst of her magic, it was powder in the bag.

“I don’t care what it said. This is magic that never again needs to see the light of day,” she told Charlie.

“So you think that Fio jerk is still around?” the redhead asked.

“I’ll have to find out,” Ruby replied. “You mind keeping watch with Adam while I look inside?”

“We’ll have to take care of the demon meatsuit over there, so sure,” Charlie agreed, waving Adam over so Ruby could go inside.

The RV didn’t have much in the way of any personal effects for her late brother, but she did find a curse box with items in it, including a few journals and a small grimoire that looked older than the and her brother were. This box was what she grabbed, shoving it into one of Luzio’s backpacks so she could carry it outside more easily. By the time she made it out, Adam reached to grab both Ruby and Charlie and pulled them some distance away, closer to where the Mustang was parked out of the way. Just in time, too, as sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Donna texted us a warning. There were reports of a struggle, so she’s on her way. I made sure she knows what to expect,” Charlie explained.

Adam, for his part, looked ill, but he was on his feet still. “First time I pulled anyone with me. I’m getting better at this. I feel like I’m less of a fledgling now.”

“Thank you for getting us out of there and for bringing me back again,” Ruby told him. “How about we find somewhere else to be?”

“Donna left a key for us. She suggested we pack and head out, and that she’d call us all later,” Charlie told them.

With wordless agreement, Ruby let them all into The Boss and started her up, driving to the Hanscum residence for the belongings she and Adam brought, and then back over to the motel Charlie was staying at. The three decided to drive to Omaha where the three took a hotel suite to sleep the rest of the night away and rest the following day. Ruby took the opportunity to look through the material from Luzio’s RV, and she found the spell.

“It uses the essence of a Soul-Eater to give humans similar properties, to make them some sort of hybrid. Luzio was halfway through the process. It seems that the souls of monsters and demons would sustain him, but he was too weak to consume a pure soul,” the witch read aloud. “His journal said he killed Fiovarante as his first feeding.”

“Ew, but that means that asshole is dead,” Charlie pointed out.

“So it might be safe to say that you’re free now, Ruby,” Adam told his lady, coming to sit on the bed next to her.

“Free,” the brunette repeated, finding the word felt good on her lips as she spoke it. After a moment of relishing the word, she continued. “There’s names in this journal, or at least descriptions. A werewolf in Annapolis. A demon in Savannah. Oh...”

“Oh what?” Adam prompted.

Ruby read the passage aloud. “‘The woman I brought from Mölle, Ingrid, found the locket and sold it. I have killed her, but I performed the curse that will bring her back as a draugr. How terrible for her to know she will feed me after failing me.’”

“Wow, what a dick,” Charlie commented.

“She wasn’t too nice herself, but there’s that part of me that still can’t reconcile these words with the brother I knew,” Ruby said with a long sigh.

Later on that afternoon, the group had a final dinner together at a diner nearby, and then Ruby drove them to the bus station to see their world-displaced ginger friend off.

“Well, for a former demon, you’re not all bad,” Charlie told Ruby, and she went to give the brunette witch a hug, then giving one to Adam. “And you, that healing and teleporting was fairly angel-like of you, but I won’t hold that against you.”

“See that you don’t,” Adam laughed.

“Keep in touch, Charlie,” Ruby said as farewell.

“You know I will.” Charlie smirked. “Later, bitches.” With that, she turned to catch her bus.

After the redhead was on her bus, Ruby and Adam turned to head back out to her car. Ruby didn’t say much until she was back behind the wheel, reaching for the mixed coffee beverage she left inside in the cup holder. She was silent for a long time, just sipping her drink and thinking.

“What’s on your mind?” Adam asked finally.

“I went to Heaven,” she told him.

“You did _what_?” he asked in mild surprise.

“I spoke to Castiel. Isabella’s getting reincarnated once they’ve healed the trauma to her soul. She may not be there when I finally die for real.” She let out a sigh.

“And you’re okay with that?” Adam asked, reaching out to touch her hair gently. “I mean, what if you never see her again?

Ruby smiled. “I am okay with it. What I want isn’t as important as her having a chance to live a happy and normal life. Sometimes those sacrifices are worthwhile, you know? I’m going to miss her, but at the same time, she deserves this chance.”

“And what about you, pretty lady?” Adam asked.

Ruby’s smile never wavered. “I have the chance to create my own happiness.”

“I hope there’s room for me in that happiness,” Adam told her, meeting her eyes when she looked at him.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Winchester,” the witch told him, and when she leaned in to kiss him, he met her half way.


	40. Freewill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _There are those who think that life has nothing left to chance  
>  A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance  
> A planet of playthings, we dance on the strings of powers we cannot perceive  
> The stars aren't aligned or the Gods are malign, blame is better to give than receive_
> 
> _You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice  
>  If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice  
> You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill  
> I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose Freewill_
> 
> Freewill - Rush

Ruby peered out of the window to look in the backyard where Sam was talking to Adam. She didn’t know what he had to be so nervous about, but it seemed to radiate off of him in waves. With a shake of her head, she looked over to Eileen, grinning.

“He’s hiding it, but he’s nervous,” she signed to her friend, face showing some amusement.

“And _you_ aren’t?” Eileen signed back. She came over to adjust the front laces at the waist on Ruby’s dress, a pale grey summer dress with a plunging neckline with matching layers of tulle that made the skirt seem to float around her. The white layers of tulle that ghosted over the top made it seem like the first sliver of light that always appears after a heavy rain. Tiny glittery red Swarovski crystals caught the light as she moved.

“A little bit,” Ruby replied. “I suppose my reaction isn’t as extreme as the last attempt.” With a shrug of her shoulders, she went to slip on her red ankle boots, and then fixed her new pendant, one of a solid emerald-cut ruby hanging just under her collarbones.

“And this one has all the makings of a happier result,” the former hunter agreed. There was a tug at her own skirt, and young Dean Winchester, three years old and full of enthusiasm, wanted his mother’s attention.

“See Daddy?” he signed up at his mom, and then he reached for her hand.

“Going now, but you must be a good boy,” Eileen replied. She gave Ruby an apologetic look. “Sorry. We’ll see you downstairs. You look so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Ruby signed in reply, and she mussed little Dean’s hair.

After Eileen stepped out, Ruby looked to the few who were gathered below. She could easily make out Bobby, Charlie and her wife, Donna, Jody, Jacob, Kieran, and Quinn. A few other friends she made over the last three years of hunting were among them, and the thought of actually having friends and a chosen family made her heart warmer than she sometimes felt she had a right to feel.

It was with that feeling that she finally went to follow Eileen, standing at the edge of the gathered people when they all finally settled down quietly.

Ruby walked with no music, no fanfare, but merely made her way to where Adam waited, pleased to become his bride.

It wasn’t until the kiss at the end of the short ceremony, one officiated by a certain archangel with a knack for tricks, that she felt it was real and not just some dream. Adam hadn’t wanted to let go of her hand the entire day, but was eventually pulled off to talk with Bobby.

“Go. We have forever after this, silly,” Ruby insisted. She sat where she was, merely watching the reception from her quiet corner in Sam’s living room until a firm pressure on the couch next to her shook her out of her rumination.

“I’d have never in a million years thought you’d ever become my sister-in-law,” Sam told her, reaching to give Ruby a squeeze.

“Well, I never thought you’d lick that addiction to demon blood,” she retorted. “Whatever happened to those powers of yours?”

Sam gave her a wry smile. “I suppressed them once I was weaned off the blood. It’s like being an alcoholic. Some folks have to completely cut anything related to it, suppress the urge. I went through these trials once to cure Crowley of being a demon that required purifying myself, and the powers and craving for demon blood were completely gone after that.”

“You’re gonna have to tell me about that sometime,” Ruby told him. “So yeah, we’re both full of surprises. I’m proud to be your sister-in-law, Sam.”

“I’m proud that you’re this person today, Ruby. You two decided that you’re gonna keep hunting?” he asked.

“Yeah, well, maybe not immediately after the baby is born, but _someone_ has to. And no, you don’t get to come out of retirement,” Ruby told Sam with a grin, leaning into the one-armed embrace.

“Think of a name? I know you’ve got another seven months to go, but it’s not too soon to think about it,” he told her.

“Samantha or Samuel,” Ruby said at once. “For you, and for little Dean, and for your brother. Adam and I decided that when we found out. I didn’t even think I could conceive, you know.”

Sam shifted his position, pulling his arm back to clasp with his other in front of him. “Always have a Sam and Dean in the world, huh?”

“Something like that,” she replied softly. “But we don’t know if there’s gone to be anything different about her. Adam’s not exactly an angel in the traditional sense, and I have it on good authority that she’s not a Nephilim.”

“But you don’t know about after she’s born,” Sam prompted. “Well, she’ll always have family and a place to be if there’s trouble. Lebanon isn’t that far away. I’m surprised you two are staying at the Bunker.”

“We’ve made it our home, and if we’re going to live as long as we think we might, it’ll be a safer home for us than suburbia,” Ruby replied. She fell silent, and then after a long moment, she reached for Sam’s hand.

“Hm?” He raised an eyebrow, looking at the witch curiously.

“Thank you, Sam. Thank you for deciding to trust me, to give me your friendship when I didn’t deserve it. If not for you, I’d have none of this, I think.” With that, she leaned over and kissed his cheek gently. “For what I did to you, I’m forever sorry, but I will never regret for a second that you came into my life.”

Sam gave Ruby a pained smile, but he squeezed her hand all the same. “Things could have been very different, but they went the way they did. You’re not that person, even if that person is a part of you. I’m pleased and honored to call you my sister now, Ruby Winchester.” This time he turned to pull her into a proper hug. “Take care of my little brother and yourself.”

“We’ll take care of each other, Sammy,” Ruby promised, tightening her arms around him.

The newlyweds decided to make the drive to their honeymoon destination of San Diego (technically, an Airbnb in Coronado) from Lawrence, considering it to be a fun road trip. It was getting a bit late in the afternoon when they stopped for gas in Liberal, Kansas, the only stop they were going to make before their first hotel stop in whatever sleepy little town they came across before midnight.

Ruby went in to pay for the tank while Adam pumped the gas, but what she saw when she got in there was completely unexpected. The single clerk on duty was being held up against the wall by a snarling female figure, one she immediately recognized as a werewolf. With a roll of her eyes, she merely took out her knife and plunged it into the creature’s back. With a burst of magic, the body immediately dissolved into dust.

“Oh damn, t-thank you,” the clerk said. Ruby offered him a hand up, looking him over. He was of average height, probably 5’8” to her estimate, with dark brown somewhat curly hair and beard, looking a little bedraggled. He had a gash on his arm from dealing with the werewolf, which Ruby took a moment to heal. When he finally had a good look at the witch’s face, however, his eyes went wide.

“Ruby? How are you alive? You’re supposed to be dead, in The Empty,” he gasped.

“How do you...?” She trailed off when she saw his name tag. “Chuck. _That_ Chuck. Formerly God.”

“In the flesh,” the clerk replied, extending his arms for a fake courtier bow.

“For Jack’s sake, of everyone I had to meet on my wedding day, it’s you.” Ruby let out a dry, humorless laugh. “The guy who wrote my story for the sake of screwing over Sam Winchester.”

“Well, you were a good plot device,” Chuck countered warily. “Wait, wedding?”

“I was a trope and a tired one at that!” Ruby replied, her eyes flashing violet as her power came to her. He didn’t need to know about Adam or her personal life. She wanted to strike him down, to take out the last bits of her anger on him, but something he said made her stop.

“Please, do it,” he told her. “This whole of my existence sucks!”

“And why haven’t you just offed yourself if you hate being alive so much?” the witch replied, powering down. She felt almost bad for asking it, but this was the being who orchestrated her entire fall, what happened with Luzio, her daughter’s plight, all of it. The confusion on the man’s face answered her question.

“Why would I?” he asked her incredulously.

“Ah. The ego. You still think you’re the real self-inserted main character of your own little work of fiction,” she said, remembering how Sam told her what happened and how he and Dean merely walked away. “Of course, you’re still in denial. You can’t do it.”

“It didn’t occur to me. It’d be so poetic, though,” Chuck said, considering. “Maybe an easy out, narrative-wise.”

“Nah, you don’t get to get out of the consequences.” Ruby again summoned her powers and touched the man on his forehead, internally laughing at seeing him twitch.

“ _Suicidium a vetiti_.” She smirked. “And I _know_ your knowledge is intact. You know what I just did.”

Chuck seemed to wither again, face desperate. “You gave me an option and then removed it? What a bitchy thing! You know what? I’m glad I had you turned into a demon and then had you killed. You deserved to be a tired trope!”

“And you know what? So am I. Because I told Castiel where the Occultum was, he kept his promise, and I’m here to live my life on my terms. Maybe I was a trope, but now I’m my own woman.” Saying it aloud finally made it real to Ruby. “Enjoy your mortality, Chuck.” With that, she turned around and left, grabbing a few snacks on her way out. Let him deal with the loss prevention.

The last thing she heard as she walked out of the door was, “...but you didn’t pay for your gas.”

She snickered to herself on the way to the car, dropping the snacks in Adam’s lap to deal with before she went around to let herself in on the driver’s side.

“What took you so long?” he asked.

“Oh, it’s funny who you meet randomly as you’re traveling. I’ll tell you about it in a little. I need some processing time,” Ruby told him, leaning to give her new husband a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Hear back from the lady with the Airbnb?”

“Oh, yeah. Got a call from a Daphne Allen while you were inside. She’d got the vacation home in Coronado all ready for us to stay. Apparently she just got the confirmation of our changed reservation and got it all done herself before she heads back to Indiana,” Adam told her.

“Sounds good,” Ruby told him, starting and putting The Boss in gear. She started up and headed through the streets to get back to the highway. She thought of the tiny bump at her belly, thinking for a moment that it was finally safe to start thinking of second chances, to thinking of life and living, and remembering and honoring those who’d gone on before.

“You know, when I was dead that last time, I saw Castiel. He told me Dean was off for a drive, that time moves different in Heaven, and that he was waiting for Sam,” she told him as she pulled to the ramp leading out to the highway.

“That sounds like Dean. So he has a heavenly version of Baby, huh?” Adam asked, smirking.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Ruby affirmed. The highway before them was lined with trees, and ahead, the sun was just beginning to set in the west. “Time moves differently there, so Cas said. Here, though, our time is this fixed linear thing, and we have to do what we can with the time we have. That’s what Dean did, I think. That’s what Sam’s doing.”

“Then that’s what we’re going to do,” Adam told her. “However much time we have, we’re going to make it count. We’ll fill it with love and family and all of the things that go with living, including the hurt. What did Sam tell me? We’ll always keep fighting, even if that fight might not be against monsters.”

“Sometimes the monsters live in our memories, in our psyches,” the witch agreed.

“He still misses Dean. It’s always there, usually when he’s alone or thinks no one is watching,” Adam said thoughtfully. “But he’s not alone.”

“Neither are we, Adam,” Ruby said.

Adam nodded, which the driver could see out of the corner of her eye. “Sam and Dean made sure of that.”

“But we also made ourselves free with our choices,” Ruby told him. “Because of them, and because of what we all do every day, Free Will is truly free. And look at us, Adam. We have a whole new story to create.”

A soft happy smile touched Ruby’s face. She floored the pedal to gain speed as she drove her Mustang into the setting sun.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my attempt to work through some of my feelings about the finale of Supernatural. For the most part, I loved the ending and found it to be satisfying. As a note, the comments here are not going to be a forum to discuss it; you can do that on my Twitter (@darksakura). 
> 
> My updates will be sporadic as I like to be a few chapters ahead in my writing before I post a new one. Bookmark it to stay in the loop!
> 
> If anyone finds a typo or has constructive feedback, I’d love to hear from you! Heck, I just like comments anyway, so _Please_ leave a comment!


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